The Crimson Speedster
by choejhulkp9
Summary: Barry Allen AKA the Flash wasn't the only one who was affected by the particle accelerator. He and Star Labs find another speedster who has similar powers to Barry, yet he's a bit different. Watch as the Scarlet Speedster joins the Crimson Speedster possibly join forces and protect Central City. Naruto x Linda x ?
1. Announcement

Hey everyone, it's Choejhulkp9. It's been a long time since i've updated and you guys have read anything from me. I'm fine, but i had to put my writing on a hold with college. I had a lot of things to do, working on a senior thesis, other papers, tests and i was just generally too busy to spend time writing. I'm sorry, but my school work needed to come first. Luckily i'm going to be on break for a bit until late January so i'll have more time to write and hopefully update my other stories.

But as a Christmas/holiday/New Year present to all of my readers, along with the Maelstrom X-men chapter i'm updating, i'm going to be uploading some initial chapters for new stories that i'm thinking of adding to my current mix. These are chapters i've written on my spare time that i never got around to uploading, so tell me what you guys think. There all Naruto crossover stories and i hope you guys like them. Reviews and feedback about what you guys think will be a big help. If you guys have good ideas for Naruto crossovers i should do, send me a message and if i'm interested i might tackle them.

Hope you guys enjoy them and if you've guys have seen some awesome Naruto fan art that bears some resemblance to my stories, send me a link.

Hope you guys enjoy the reading, and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year. Stay safe and enjoy the holidays with Friends and family. See you guys next year!


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, after seeing my Arrow/Naruto crossover do well. I decided to do a different version, this time a crossover with the Flash. This story will be different from my Kitsune in Starling City story so they won't overlap. In this one, Naruto is reborn in the Flash universe and Barry Allen isn't the only one who got struck by lightning. Enjoy!**

 **The Crimson Speedster**

Central City, home to Star Labs, one of the most advance scientific research centers in the world. Star Labs attracted only the most intelligent and advance people in the fields of engineering, physics and biology. The lab was a fortress for the scientific elite, led by the brilliant, Dr. Harrison Wells. Two of those scientists were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. Both Japanese immigrants when they were children but immigrated to the U.S. and they were both brilliant scientists. Minato was a physicists while Kushina was a biologists and the two worked with Doctor Wells on many projects over the years after he relocated to Central City and created STAR labs. When Dr. Wells started research and projects, Minato and Kushina were the first of his hires so they moved to Central City with Naruto.

And with them came their young son, Naruto Namikaze and the family pet fox, Kurama. Naruto was the spitting image of his father, except for his birthmarks, which took the shape of whiskers on his cheeks. Naruto had his father's looks but his mothers' personality and was the little joy in their family. Naruto loved his parents and wanted to make them proud, which wasn't a problem since he was very smart and inherited their smart genes. He went through high school like it was nothing and when he graduated he got a full ride to Hudson University in Central City to study theoretical physics. He was going to follow in his parent's footsteps.

But tragedy soon struck as Naruto's parents were killed in a car crash during Naruto's senior year in college. With them dead, Naruto fell into a deep depression; he quit school…just before he was going to graduate and sort of fell of the map. The death of his parents was hard, and he didn't know what he was going to do…until fate gave him an answer.

Line Break xxxxx **Start of Canon and 1 year after the death of Naruto's parents**

Today was the day in Central City: the day that the particle accelerator was going to be turned on. The whole city was a bustle with incoming news crews and people to witness the possible event of the century. For one Barry Allen, it was his nerdy dream coming true. For Naruto Uzumaki, it was just another day in Central City.

After a year of his parents' death, Naruto Namikaze changed. He dropped out of school, went home and collected his and his parents' belongings and lost the drive to keep pursuing science. Naruto had been staying at the city shelter since his parents' death, working in the shelters kitchen to make money and they gave him a small room so he and Kurama could stay.

After a year, Naruto was still feeling the sting of his parents lost. He finished his work for the day and walked around the city. He was wearing some jeans, a black shirt and red button up with his dad's orange jacket over. He walked around and saw the news crews driving by on their way to Star Labs. Naruto had to admit, it was interesting but he stopped caring in that stop when his parents died. Naruto went for a long walk to clear his head and he found his way to the outskirts of Central City. Night soon came as he actually walked to the city limits of Central city. Naruto knew it would take forever to walk back and there was a car garage further down the road, he would call a cab there.

Naruto kept walking as rain began to fall down and he put up his hoodie. He finally made it to the gas station when he heard a boom. He turned around and saw a bright orange light flare up in the middle of the city and a huge energy wave was sent out as Naruto saw it go through and pass him before it dissipated.

"Hey, KID! Get inside! It's not safe!" The garage owner said as Naruto walked over to the garage when he looked to the sky. He saw a large orange cloud form over the city and lightning crackle out as he saw a bolt of lighting hit the city. Then Naruto held his breath as another bolt of lightning came for him and hit him square on. The force threw Naruto back as his clothes and shoes were a little burnt and dark orange electricity seem to flow inside his body.

The garage owner saw what happened and rushed over to see if he was ok. He called an ambulance for the local hospital up the road to get him checked out.

Line Break xxxxx

9 months later after the Star Lab Particle accelerator explosion, and things have changed. Naruto woke up in a small hospital outside of Central city. He had been in a come for 9 months after being struck by lightning when the particle accelerator blew up. After hearing that, Naruto wondered why he was still alive. A lightning bolt to a human body should have killed him…but he felt great. He was completely fine, no change in respiratory function or brain chemistry. His muscles weren't atrophy but were in a constant state of regeneration, which is how he woke up with a 6 pack, and more defined body muscle.

After a few more hours in the hospital for observation so that the doctors didn't find anything else wrong with him, Naruto was let go. He got a cab back to the city shelter where he found Kurama waiting for him. Kurama was so happy to see that Naruto was alive. The owner of the city shelter, Tsunade, was happy that Naruto was alive…he was a good kid and she liked him.

"Naruto, thank goodness you're ok." Tsunade said.

"Thanks Granny Tsunade." Naruto said as Tsunade lightly bopped him on the head.

"Easy, Naruto. You may have waken up from a coma, but that doesn't mean I still won't hurt you." Tsunade warned.

"All right, do you think I can get something to eat?" Naruto asked.

"Sure, I've got a nice pot of Ramen waiting." Tsunade said.

"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. They went inside and Tsunade was shocked. She saw Naruto eat over 40 bowls of Ramen…the most he ate in one sitting was about 12 before he got sick but he ate 40 bowls like it was nothing.

"Wow, you must have been hungry." Tsunade said.

"Yeah, did you think I was going to eat that crappy hospital food?" Naruto joked as he finished his last bowl. "Ah, that was good."

"I'm glad, now you can do the dishes." Tsunade said. "I've got some errands to run so do you mind?"

"No, I can do it." Naruto said as she smiled and got up and left.

"I'm really glad you're all right Naruto." Tsunade said.

"Thanks Granny." Naruto joked as she left.

Naruto got up and put his bowl in the sink. He then saw Kurama walk in and sat on a chair and watch Naruto." Sorry, buddy, wait a little longer and then I'll take you on a walk." Naruto said as Kurama yipped.

Naruto was washing dishes at a normal pace, scrubbing the pot with his sponge as he placed clean bowls on the drying rack. Unfortunately there were so many bowls that the rack was getting overstuffed. Naruto accidently hit the rack, causing 3 bowls to fall to the floor…and then the weirdest thing happened. Time seemed to slow down, he saw the bowls drop to the ground…very, very slowly. Like someone pressed the slow-mo button on a T.V., Naruto saw the dishes fall and he quickly picked them up.

Naruto froze in place, did that really just happen? Did he just control time or did he just move really fast? He put the bowls down and then saw his hands begin to vibrate very fast. "What the hell's happening to me?" Naruto asked as he hand began to slow down. Naruto stepped back as he then ran the length of the 20-foot kitchen in a second. Naruto then looked at the remaining dishes and super sped to them and finished them in 3 seconds.

"Whoa." Naruto said as he got an idea. He walked outside the shelter to the back alley as Kurama followed him.

Naruto then ran which turned to super speed as he disappeared in a flash and ran 20 blocks and then stopped in another alley. "Cool." Naruto said as he ran back and appeared before Kurama in a blur as Kurama just blinked.

"Oh, Kurama, something amazing just happened to me. That lightning bolt turned me into a freaking Road runner." Naruto joked, thinking back to the Looney tunes Character.

Naruto then smelled burning rubber and looked at his shoes and saw they were smoking. "Ah!" Naruto yelled as he quickly snuffed the fire. "All right, there is one downside, friction and rubber don't really mix. But why is it that the lightning bolt changed me when other people who were struck never got these abilities?" Naruto said as he thought for a second. He then saw an old newspaper in the garbage. He picked it up and saw that it covered the ongoing reconstruction and damage from the particle accelerator.

"The Particle accelerator?! Maybe my parent's old notes have some answers. Come on, boy." Naruto said as he and Kurama went to his room to go through his parents' notes.

Naruto walked into his room and got out the box that held his parent's notes from their work they did on helping Doctor Wells with the Particle Accelerator before they died. Naruto took a deep breath and opened it up and saw some old papers but also saw his dad's old goggles that he wore when he did experiments. **(Picture Naruto's goggles from the anime)**

"Wow, dad. I always did like these." Naruto said as he took them out and hung them around his head. "All right, lets get some answers." Naruto said as he took out some papers and notes.

Naruto read through them, reading his parents trials and errors and hypotheses about the Particle Accelerator and what it could lead to. Advancements in medicine, technology, physics…the particle accelerator was a possible gateway to a whole new outlook on the world.

After a few more hours of looking at notes, Naruto got nothing. His parents' stuff didn't really get him any closer to figuring out more about the particle accelerator. Kurama then yipped which got Naruto's attention and saw Kurama had an old photo of his parents with Doctor Wells, the head scientist behind the Particle Accelerator.

"Dr. Wells?! Maybe he could have some answers for me. Good job, boy." Naruto said as he pat Kurama on the head. But he then saw the time and saw it was 10:00pm. "Well, it might be a bit late. I'll see him tomorrow." Naruto said as he yawned and went to bed, not knowing that near the outskirts of Central City, there was a fight between someone who could control the weather and someone very similar to Naruto…a speedster.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed but also hungry. He got up, took a shower and got dressed which led to his new issues…breakfast. Naruto went to the kitchen and knew that if he ate as much as he did yesterday, Tsunade would kill him. Naruto made a bowl of ramen and then grabbed his wallet and would eat on his way out. On the way to Star Labs, he stopped by Big Belly Burger and ordered about 10 meals, which he ate with gusto and would keep him good for a while. He walked to Star Labs, not wanting to risk running and getting seen by someone or end up crashing into something.

After about half an hour of walking, Naruto made his way to Star Labs. Naruto saw it was sanctioned off and there were parts of the building that were being rebuilt. He walked passed the gates and up to the main entrance. He rang the bell and walked in.

"Hello?! Dr. Wells! Um, it's Naruto Namikaze! I don't know if you remember me, but you should remember my parents! I would like to talk!" Naruto shouted.

Inside Star Labs, Dr. Wells was talking with his assistants Dr. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon and Barry Allen. After Barry's woke up from his coma and the discovery of his new powers, Dr. Wells, Caitlin and Cisco worked on understanding more of his powers. Last night, Barry found out that he wasn't the only affected by the Particle Accelerator and that the accelerator explosion dispersed around the entire city, possibly affecting hundreds of people.

After the discovery, Barry decided to use his powers to help put away the new meta-humans that would harm the city and with a new suit from Cisco, he was going to do that. Unfortunately…there is still some issues between the group as Barry has been using his powers to help save the city while Caitlin says they agreed to focus on meta-humans.

"Have you both lost your minds?! Who do you think you are?" Caitlin asked Barry and Cisco.

"Well I'm the eyes and ears, and he's the feet." Cisco said.

"This is not funny. You could have gotten yourself killed. You can't be running around the city like some super-sonic fire man." Caitlin said.

"Why not? This is what we talked about, me using my speed to do good." Barry said.

"We talked about you helping us contain other people who may have been affected by the Particle Accelerator explosion. Meta-humans, and aside from Clyde Martin, we haven't found any." Caitlin said.

"People in this city still need help." Barry said. "And I can help them."

"We can help them." Cisco said.

"Will you say something?" Caitlin asked Dr. Wells.

"I think what Caitlin is saying in her own spectacular angry way is that we are just beginning to understand what your body is capable of. Not to sound like a broken record, Mr. Allen, I do caution restraint." Dr. Wells said.

"Dr. Wells…I doubt restraint is how you got to be the man you are today." Barry said.

"In a wheelchair, and a pariah…lack of restraint is what made me these things. Know your limits." Dr. Wells said.

"Don't expect me to patch you up every time you break something." Caitlin said as Barry looked at her.

"Hey is everything ok. The sensors in your suit kicked back some weird telemetry, like your vitals spiked for a few second." Cisco said.

"Never felt better." Barry said as his phone went off and Joe needed him at an active crime scene. Barry then super sped away…but didn't change.

"When do you think he'll realize he didn't bring his clothes?" Dr. Wells asked as the computer went off.

"What's going on?" Cisco asked.

"Someone walked in the front entrance. Hang on, I'll bring up the camera footage." Caitlin said as she brought up the main entrance camera feed and they saw a young man standing there.

" **Hello?! Dr. Wells! Um, it's Naruto Namikaze! I don't know if you remember me, but you should remember my parents! I would like to talk!"** They heard over the microphone.

"I don't believe it." Dr. Wells said, remembering who that boy was.

"Wait did he say Namikaze?!" Cisco asked.

"As in Dr. Namikaze? He was one of the lead researchers at Star Labs for years." Caitlin said.

"I remember, Minato was a great scientist and a good friend." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah that guy was brilliant and hilarious. But who's this kid?" Cisco asked.

"That would be his son." Dr. Wells said.

"Son?" Caitlin asked.

"I never met his kid?" Cisco asked.

"He and Kushina were married for years when I worked with them. Naruto was born before they moved to Central City, he was quite a brilliant young man. I would have eventually brought him to Star Labs…but his parents death hit him quite hard." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, when Minato and Kushina died, it was hard for the team. They were great people, I can't believe how hard it must have hit him." Caitlin said.

"Yes, it was hard. After their death, he sort of fell off the grid. I'll go talk to him." Dr. Wells said as he rolled out of the lab, towards the front entrance.

Naruto stood in the entrance of Star Labs, looking at one of the old photos that was hung up that showed Dr. Wells and Naruto's Parents. Naruto smiled as he saw how happy they were.

"Reminiscing are we, Naruto?" Dr. Wells asked.

"A little. It's good to see you again, Dr. Wells." Naruto said as he and Dr. Wells shook hands.

"Haven't heard that in a long time. You can imagine that after the incident, not many people are eager to meet me." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, that wasn't your fault, Dr. Wells. You couldn't have known what would happen." Naruto said as Dr. Wells chuckled.

"Your father would have said the same thing. Your mother on the other hand would probably ring my neck for not taking some more safety precautions." Dr. Wells joked.

"Well my mother was always the more paranoid one. Always worrying about people's safety." Naruto said as Dr. Wells looked at him.

"Naruto…I know we never really got to talk after your parents funeral, but I am sorry about your parents death. They were both great friends and they meant a lot to many people, including me." Dr. Wells said.

"Thanks…I just wish they were alive now." Naruto said.

"I'm sure if they were, they would still be proud of you." Dr. Wells said.

"I doubt that. I quit my fast track in science. I don't think they'd like that." Naruto said.

"I think that your parents would be proud of you…no matter what." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled. "So is there something else that brings you to Star Labs or was this just a social visit after 2 years?"

"Actually, it isn't. Sorry but I was hoping to talk to you about something that I believe only you could answer." Naruto said.

"And what would that be?" Dr. Wells asked as he and Naruto walked through the first floor of Star Labs.

"I was looking over some of my parents old notes and I had some questions on a certain project…the Particle Accelerator." Naruto said as Dr. Wells raised an eyebrow.

"What interest do you have in the Particle Accelerator?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Well, I was wondering if the explosion 9 months ago may have changed some things around the city. I've began to notice some…interesting things going on in the city." Naruto said.

"Really, and you think that the Particle Accelerator had something to do with that?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Possibly. I was looking through my dad's old notes on the project and he hypothesized that the particle accelerator could lead to some changes and discoveries in science, the foundation and discovery of theoretical elements. Dark Energy, anti matter,…etc. Maybe the explosion actually changed something." Naruto said as Dr. Wells looked at Naruto and smiled.

"I can see there is still a scientist in you, Naruto." Dr. Wells said.

"It's always been there." Naruto said.

"Well, Naruto…despite our great theories and hunches on the project. The night of the explosion prevents us from figuring out what exactly happened…but I can assure you…that there is no great danger to the city." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Maybe not danger, but…great change. I mean something must have happened that night. The explosion and that energy wave that was sent out… I mean, something must have changed?" Naruto said.

"Your guess is as good as mine on this one, Naruto. I'm afraid I just don't have the answers for you." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Thanks anyway. It was good to see you." Naruto said as he left as Dr. Wells spoke.

"Naruto, are you feeling all right? You just…seem to have a different energy about yourself than I've seen before." Dr. Wells said.

"People change, Dr…I guess I did." Naruto said as he left.

Naruto was walking through the city after his meeting with Dr. Wells and knew that Wells wasn't telling him something…but he would have to figure it out on his own. Naruto went to get a cup of coffee and 8 donuts on his way back to the shelter. As he was eating his 7th donut he saw on T.V. that Simon Stag, head of Stag industries was receiving an award today for his research in organ transplants. Naruto just shook his head. He remembered what his parents told him about Simon Stag. That guy was a good scientist but had a history of stealing ideas and research from others, he even tried it with one of his dad's inventions but Stag could never understand it.

He then heard some police sirens go by as police cars sped by. Naruto wondered what was going on…he was curious. He finished his donut, ran into the alley, zipped up his hood and put on his dad's goggles and super sped away, following the police cars. He eventually found his way to Stag industries and saw police cars outside taking witness statements. Naruto then took off his hood and goggles and blended in with the crowd. He walked around and heard that there was a robbery by 6 men wearing ski masks and armed with guns. The police think it was a robbery but some say it has to do with Mr. Stag, that he was the possible target but left just in time.

He also heard a police officer talking to a security guard and how he was whisked away during the robbery by something. Naruto heard enough and walked away from Stag industries on his way home.

"I guess Dr. Wells was wrong. Something did happen the night the accelerator blew, and it seems that something happened to someone who has abilities like me." Naruto said out loud as he walked home. Naruto looked at his shoes and saw they were worn out a little and the soles were scorched…he needed new shoes. Naruto stopped by a sports store and got some new running shoes, hopefully they would fare better.

After that, he went back to the shelter and listened to the news and sat down on his bed as Kurama curled up next to him. He listened as there were some reports about a new red streak that has appeared in the city, saving people. Naruto got up and looked at an old photo of him with his parents a few days before they were killed. Naruto then looked at the goggles on his desk and smiled. "I guess that lightning bolt did change me…into something greater. Something did happen that night of the Particle Accelerator explosion…and I'm going to show the world that it did so some good. Like me and this streak…I'm going to show that the explosion led to something amazing." Naruto said, determined to use his new powers to help people…like the Streak.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning Naruto got up early, determined to make his parents proud and try to help people with new abilities. He put on his jacket and hung his goggles around his neck and did some research at the local library on the night of the explosion. He looked up newspaper articles on disappearances and deaths, blog posts about unexplained activity and looked up the old weather reports from the day of the explosion. Naruto was working on his research and watching the news when a new story came in, a person was murdered and beaten to death outside one of Stags buildings.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that…2 incidents concerning Stag. That wasn't a coincidence. Naruto packed his stuff away and decided to do a little harmless snoopy at the police precinct for a lead. Naruto put on his jacket and kept his goggles on his forehead as he super sped to the police precinct. He then saw a Detective talking with his partner about going to talk with Stag about the murder of his head of security.

Naruto smirked as he followed the car to one of Stag's warehouses and just waited outside while the detective went in. Naruto then got hungry and quickly went to get something to eat. Detective Joe West and his partner Detective Eddie Thawne were speaking to Mr. Stag that he might be a possible target.

"Do you honestly think that someone is trying to kill me?" Stag asked.

"Well, we're not sure, Mr. Stag. But an event honoring you was robbed at gunpoint." Thawne said.

"And your head of security was found murdered this morning." Joe added.

"I am a scientist and a philanthropist. We are often the targets of assassins." Stag said.

"Well what about lawsuits, you have about 20 of those pending against you." Joe said.

"It is a sad fact of life Detective that when you earn a lot of money, people who have none think they can take yours." Stag said.

"People like this guy for example." Joe said as he showed Stag a picture. "Danton Black."

"Danton Black." Stag said.

"You fired him and now he's suing you." Joe said.

"Unfortunately our working relationship wasn't successful but I can assure you both of one thing…Danton Black is not a killer. He's a clinical researcher not a criminal mastermind. Now if I can help you in anyway, please let me do, I want these people caught too." Stag said.

"Then here we are!" Stag heard as he turned to see 3 of the gunmen from the robbery.

"DOWN!" Joe yelled as he and Thawne pushed Stag to the ground and took cover. Joe fired back as the gunmen took cover.

Back with Barry Allen, he was walking through the police precinct when he saw everyone in was a hurry and getting suited up. "Captain, what's going on?" Barry asked.

"Not now, Barry. An armed gunmen is shooting up Stag industries." The captain said as Barry super sped back to his lab and got his suit.

Naruto just finished eating his quick snack of 10 hamburgers when he saw a streak run through the city. Naruto figured it was the mysterious savior but then remembered the detectives at Stag industries and quickly followed.

Joe covered Thawne as he got Stag to safety. Joe managed to kill one of the gunmen and saw the leader take of his mask to reveal he was Danton Black. Danton then began to shake as he sprung up a copy of himself who took a spare gun. Joe was shocked as he the third gunmen take of his mask to reveal another clone. The Danton Blacks then marched forward and fired at Joe as he took cover but then a streak whisked by and grabbed Blacks guns and threw them on the ground.

Joe looked up to see Barry in his outfit. "Go!" Barry said.

"No." Joe replied as Barry whisked Joe outside the warehouse. Naruto arrived and saw the detective whisked outside so he decided to head inside and see what was going on. Naruto put on his goggles and super sped pass Joe and into the building. Joe felt a push of wind hit him as the door opened and closed. "What the hell?"

Naruto arrived in the warehouse and saw a guy in a red suit getting the shit kicked out of him by some guys making copies of himself. They were beating the crap out of him and then threw him against a shelf. Barry sat up and grabbed his side in pain and saw the Blacks pointing guns at him. But before they could shoot, Barry saw a blur run past and take their guns.

"What the hell?!" Black shouted as the blur came back and knocked all the Blacks on their ass. Barry was shocked and turned to see the back of the blur and saw it was a guy with blonde hair wearing an orange and white jacket. One of the Blacks got up, grabbed a gun and fired at the second blur but he super sped out of the way and came back, knocking Black to the ground. The original Black then got up and ran away as Barry ran as well to catch his breath and rest.

Naruto then super sped away outside of the warehouse and saw the cops arrive. He took off his goggles and smiled. "That was awesome! Man, I've got to get a suit like that guy." Naruto said as he ran home.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry then ran back to Star Labs as Caitlin tended to his scratches and bruises while Cisco looked over his suit. Catlin dabbed them with a alcohol wipe as Barry grunted in pain. "Sorry. The abrasions are already rapidly healing." Caitlin said.

"Yeah, I got my ass handed to me." Barry said.

"You got blood on my suit." Cisco said as he was going over the suit and cleaning it.

"I think some of it belongs to him. Another not so friendly meta-human." Barry said as Dr. Wells brought up the file of Black on the screen.

"Danton Black. He's a bio-geneticist specializing in therapeutic cloning. Growing new organs to replace failing ones." Dr. Wells said.

"Apparently Stag stole his research and then fired him." Catlin added.

"I saw Black create duplicates from his own body." Barry said.

"Huh, that's pretty ironic. The guy specialized in cloning and now he can make Xerox's of himself." Cisco said.

"Is he was experimenting on himself when he was exposed to the dark matter wave released by the Particle Accelerator…" "Meet Captain Clone." Cisco said as they looked at him. "Don't worry I'll come up with something cooler."

Barry was walking away as Catlin spoke. "Where are you going?" She asked as Barry turned.

"Joe was right. I'm in way over my head. I'm not warrior. I could barely fight one meta-human let alone 6. I had to have my ass saved in order to get out of there." Barry said as that brought up a question.

"Saved?" Catlin asked.

Dr. Wells then saw that Barry had a look on his face. "Did something else happen at Stag industries?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I wasn't the only one struck by lightning the night of the explosion." Barry said as they were confused. "There is someone else out there like me…with my powers. He's just as fast and he took out the clones to give me time to escape." Barry said as they thought for a moment.

"Was it the man in yellow?" Cisco asked.

"No it wasn't him. But whoever it is…is just like me. But he seems to know what he's doing. If you guys want to keep doing this, find him." Barry said as he was about to leave but Dr. Wells spoke.

"Barry, I understand your frustration. Today was a setback, but every grand enterprise has them and we can never learn how to fly without crashing a few times." Dr. Wells said.

"This wasn't a grand enterprise…this was a mistake." Barry said as he super sped away.

"Now what?" Cisco asked as Wells thought for a moment.

"Caitlin look at the blood we collected, see if there is anything useful we can learn." Wells said as Catlin nodded. "Cisco, look up our scans from the night of the explosion…lets see if we can find who these new streak is." Wells said as Cisco nodded. Cisco went to a computer and saw Wells leaving.

"Where are you going, Dr. Wells?" Cisco asked.

"To talk to someone." Wells said as he left.

Naruto super sped back home and relaxed as he sat on his bed and finished his dinner of 40 cups of instant ramen. He slurped the last one and burped. "Man these powers are great but my appetite is starting to get annoying, not to mention expensive." Naruto said as he looked at his empty wallet. He sat down as Kurama jumped onto his lap and got comfortable.

"You should have seen me today, Kurama. I ran right in and knocked those clone guys on their butts. It was awesome." Naruto said, excited while Kurama just laid down. "And you should have seen the guy in the red suit, it was the red streak that's been going around the city. I wonder who he is?" Naruto said out loud as he laid on his bed. "But you know one thing boy…that guy is going to try again and…the Orange Flash will be there." Naruto said as Kurama just huffed. "Don't like the name. Hmm…well I'm not going with the Streak, that's lame." Naruto said as he thought about names for himself.

Line Break xxxxx

At the police precinct, Joe was talking to Simon Stag about what happened and wanted Stag under police protection. "Mr. Stag, I wish you would consider our offer for protective custody. Danton Black has proven that he is willing to kill and he's got…uh, friends and trust me they are all dangerous." Joe said.

"I've increased my security detective. I hope Black comes looking for trouble, cause he'll find plenty." Stag said as they heard clapping and saw Dr. Wells by the elevator.

"Spoken like a true philanthropist. Or is it humanitarian? Uh, I'm sorry, I can never remember which one you're pretending to be, Simon." Wells said as he entered the room.

"Harrison. Don't get up." Stag joked.

"Ha, ha." Wells faked laughed as Stag left.

"Not a fan of yours doctor." Joe said, pointing to Stag.

"Can we talk detective?" Wells asked as Joe nodded.

"So you were right. Barry's not the only one who's special. This guy, that tried to kill Simon Stag today, he could…" "Replicate spontaneously. Yeah we know." Wells said.

"Did you know about Barry? When he was first in his coma, you came to the hospital and you asked me if you could take him to Star Labs. Did you know what he could do?" Joe asked as Wells chuckled.

"I had my suspicions that he was…affected." Wells said as Joe hmm. "Hey, Joe? I was never looking to become the senior member of a secret crime-fighting unit. You and I both know, we are the only ones equipped to protect Central City." Wells said.

"Maybe I'm the only one interested in protecting Barry. But of course, he all ready to fly along into the fire right with you." Joe said.

"No he's not. Not anymore, he quit." Wells said as Joe was surprised. "He didn't tell you?"

"I haven't seen him." Joe said.

"Well I'm sure it's only temporary. From what I know of Barry, when he sets his mind to something no one can talk him out of it, but the next time he suits up…whoosh…runs head long into danger, he will fail. Why? He doesn't think he's capable. Doubt…is his real enemy, Joe. Not whatever's lurching out there. And as long as you continue to doubt him, he'll keep doubting himself." Wells said as he was leaving. "And for the record, I care about him too." Wells said as he left.

After Barry's sort of quit from the team, he found his way to the coffee house where Iris worked. Eddie stopped by as the three watched the news coverage of the attack at Stag industries, Barry and Iris hung out with Barry eating about 10 plates of pound cake.

"Guess you were hungry." Iris said as she brought over a cup of water and sat down.

"Stress eating. I came to say I'm sorry, and you're right I have been distant." Barry said.

"Correct." Iris said.

"Kind of a jerk." Barry said as Iris smiled.

"You should really apologize more often. You are really sensational about it." Iris joked as Barry chuckled. "So, what were you going to tell me the other day?"

"I thought I had to do something. Something I thought was important, but it turns out that I'm not very good at it. In fact there is another guy who was better at the job. But what I am good at is being your friend. So if you need help coming up with a new topic for your article." Barry said.

"I already found one. Something that actually interests me." Iris said as she got up and went to her tablet and Barry followed. "I know this is going to sound crazy, it's been all over the Internet these past few days. At a building fire, at a bank heist, even the other night when those robbers shot at the security guard, he said he was whooshed outside. Something out there is saving people." Iris said as Barry saw she was researching him.

"I thought you were taking journalism, not science fiction writing." Barry said.

"Ever since I have known you, you have believed in the impossible. What if you were right? What if you were right about the night your mom died? I've even heard some rumors that there maybe more than one of these guys out there." Iris said as Barry's phone rang and it was from STAR labs.

"Look, I told you, I'm through." Barry said as he answered the phone.

"I know but you need to get to STAR Labs, right now." Catlin said.

Barry said goodbye to Iris and ran to STAR Labs and was ready to fight when he saw Danton Black in the lab.

"Barry it's ok." Catlin said as she saw him ready to fight.

"It is not ok! Black is here and he's just…standing there. That's not him, is it?" Barry said as he saw that Black wasn't moving or blinking.

"It's one of his replicates." Wells said.

"How did you get it?" Barry asked.

"I grew him." Catlin said as she brought up some computers to help explain. "I isolated a drop of Black's blood from your suit to see if I could trigger the in-vitro-cultivation process and figure out how Black multiplies. So, I exposed the target cells to a protein jell and they started replicating…into that." Catlin said as Barry was poking the clone but it wasn't moving.

"Why isn't he…it doing anything?" Barry asked.

"We did a brain scan, involuntary motor functions are active but little else is." Wells said.

"We think it's acting as a receiver." Cisco said.

"The clones are an empty shell without Black. Shut down the real Black and you might shut them all down." Catlin said.

"How do we figure out who's the real Danton Black?" Barry asked.

"That occurred to me to, given your own passing out. Black has limits, just like you. Controlling all of those clones must require a tremendous amount of physical strength. So look for the ones showing signs of weakness or fatigue. He's the prime." Catlin said.

"Just a theory, but one you might want to put to the test, Mr. Allen." Wells said.

"Plus I whipped up these high calorie protein bars for you to keep your metabolism up." Cisco said as Barry smiled. Then the clone began to move as Catlin screamed but before it could leave it was shot dead with a double tap to the chest as Joe walked in with his gun out.

"Anymore of them?" Joe asked.

"Nope." Catlin said.

"Why did it start moving?" Barry asked.

"Prime. My guess the Prime is on the move and this one heard the summons to battle." Wells said.

"And I know where he was summoned to. STAG industries." Joe said.

"You should call it in." Barry said to him.

"Police can't fight this. What Black's become…like Martin, beyond me. Maybe way beyond them too. The only person it's not beyond is you. You got to do this. I get it, so for once in your life, do what I tell you to do. Go stop him." Joe said as Barry nodded and got suited up.

Line Break xxxxx

It was night as Naruto was walking through the city, waiting to sprint into action should something happen. He figured that the gunmen would try again but he didn't know where. As Naruto was walking through the city, he heard a buzz like electricity and saw the Streak wiz pass the street and kept running.

"All right, more action." Naruto said excited as he ran into an alley and super sped after the streak in an attempt to keep up.

Naruto stopped outside of STAG industries main building and saw the Streak rush in and whisk someone away. Naruto snuck up to the building and saw the gunmen at he warehouse make more copies of himself and they were patrolling the building. "All right, lets do this." Naruto said as he put his goggles on and ran inside the building.

Naruto ran inside the building and saw the streak run through the building and take out the gunmen, talking about how STAG stole his research and because of that, his wife died. Naruto then saw the Streak take out the last of the clones, which caused Black to concentrate and make more as dozens spawned and ran towards the Streak. Naruto then super sped down and before the clones to reach Barry, he saw a blur knock down a group of clones. Barry turned to see the same guy from the warehouse that saved him. Black sent out dozens of more clones at the two speedsters as Naruto ran from his while Barry tried to fight but got overwhelmed and surrounded.

Naruto then rushed back and knocked down the clones one by one as he made his way over to the red streak but there were so many that one was able to trip Naruto, causing him to fall to the ground. Some of the clones began to beat up Naruto as he grunted in pain so he and the streak quickly super sped away with Naruto able to head to one of hallways while Barry super sped to the other main room.

"There's way too many of them to fight." Barry said as he contacted the others at STAR labs.

" _Barry, you need to isolate the prime."_ Wells told him.

"I can't…it's impossible." Barry said.

" _Nothing is impossible Barry, you taught me that. You can do this."_ Joe told him.

Barry turned to see an army of Black clones heading towards, Barry concentrated and ran. "ARGH!" Barry yelled as he super sped towards the clones, knocking them down, punching them away and running through the army of them to find the real Danton Black. He pushed his way past 2 Blacks and saw the real Black behind all the clones, straining and sweating as he controlled all of them. Barry then tackled Black and ran up 10 flights of stairs and knocked him against a pillar, knocking him out.

Barry caught his breath as she saw the clones had all passed out and smiled. " _Barry? Barry are you all right?"_ Barry heard Joe say over the comm link.

"I'm fine. It's done." Barry said as he turned around and quickly moved out of the way as Black ran past him and jumped out the window. Barry then super sped over and managed to grab Black before he fell and tried to pull him back inside. "Hang on!"

"NO!" Black yelled as he created a second hand from the one that Barry was holding to get his hand free.

"Don't!" Barry yelled as Black managed to get free and fell. Naruto ran outside and saw Black falling and quickly super sped over and tackled Black out of the air, catching him at the last minute. Naruto rolled off the ground as he saw Black stand up and take a gun and point it at his head.

"NO!" Naruto yelled as he pulled the trigger and killed himself. Naruto and Barry froze as they saw someone they just saved, kill himself. Naruto looked up and saw the streak and then heard sirens and super sped away as Barry saw the other Streak run with an orange and white lightning trail.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry arrived back at STAR Labs and got out of his outfit. Joe was called in to STAG industries while Barry and the others were watching the news coverage of Black's death, with the news saying the employee-committed suicide. "I tried to save him." Barry said.

"Sounds like he didn't want to be saved. Some people when they break…they can't be put back together." Wells said.

"Some people heal even stronger." Barry said as Wells nodded.

"I hope so." Wells said.

"Well, at least Multiplex won't be able to hurt anyone else." Cisco said as they looked at him. "Told you I come up with a cool name." Cisco said as they chuckled.

"You know I may be the one in the suit doing all the running, but when I'm out there helping people…making a difference, you're all out there with me. I finally realized something, we were all struck by that lightning." Barry said as they smiled.

"Speaking of which, I have some good news." Dr. Wells said as he brought up a screen showing weather activity from when the Particle Accelerator exploded. "I pulled up weather data and photos from the night of the Particle explosion and it seems along with the storm came 2 lightning strikes. One hit you in your lab while the other…hit here." Wells said as he showed an image of a parking garage near the outskirts of Central City.

"The lightning strike hit near the city limits. Any way of knowing who was hit during the storm?" Barry asked.

"Not yet, but I'll cross reference some data to see if I can find something." Wells said.

"Whoever this guy is…something tells me that he wants to help." Barry said.

"Time will tell, Mr. Allen. But for the time being, until we find this person, you are the only lightning man we should trust." Wells said as Barry nodded and left to head back to his lab.

Back with Naruto he zoomed back to his room at the shelter and sat on the bed and tossed a burger wrapper in the trash…a little late night snack before bed. "Man, I can't believe that guy would still try to kill himself, even after I saved him." Naruto said as he laid down and Kurama jumped on the bed and laid next to him.

"I'll tell you one thing, Kurama. This hero business isn't that easy." Naruto said as he looked at the ceiling. "I guess not everyone wants to be saved by a hero." Naruto said as he went to bed.

Back with Dr. Wells, after everyone had left, he strolled to one of the walls in the hallway, pressed a switch on his chair and opened a secret door. He strolled into the white room and then stood up and took off his glasses. He then walked to a console and activated it as holographic screen came up showing a newspaper front page from 10 years in the future. The headline was _**Flash vanishes after Crisis and Impulse hospitalized?**_ and showed a picture of the Flash and Impulse as Dr. Wells smiled.

"Everything is going according to plan." Dr. Wells said.

Line Break xxxxx

After the end of Multiplex, things went back to somewhat normal. Barry and his team were together and ready to help save the city as well as track down this new streak that has been helping Barry, which was the major priority as of the moment. Dr. Wells, Cisco and Caitlin tried to track down the person who was struck by second bolt of lightning but it was difficult to identify the person who was exposed. If this person was like Barry and there weren't any reports until recently then he was probably in a coma.

Unfortunately, Central City general Hospital had only one coma patient and that was Barry. The group was at STAR labs running through some leads as Dr. Wells explained some leads there were following.

"So, we figured that another person was struck by the lightning infused by the particle accelerator but what has been difficult is identifying the person struck. Central City general only admitted one coma patient." Dr. Wells said.

"Me." Barry said.

"Exactly. You were the only person struck and admitted to the hospital so we didn't know if another person was hit." Caitlin said.

"So now were trying to find other leads. We've sent out requests to local hospitals near the spot where the lightning hit asking about any coma patients that were admitted about 9 months ago." Cisco said as the computer beeped with a message.

"And it looks like we did. One of the local hospitals outside of Central City did receive a coma patient the day of the explosion." Dr. Wells said.

"Who?" Caitlin asked.

"Unfortunately they can't disclose that information without a police warrant or a detective badge." Dr. Wells said.

"I've got that covered." Barry said as he super sped out of there and to the police precinct to talk to Joe.

"So, why do you need my help?" Joe asked Barry.

"To get some patient files from a local hospital outside the city." Barry said.

"Why do you need some patients files?" Joe asked.

"Joe…someone else was struck by lightning the same night I was." Barry said as Joe's was shocked.

"You mean there is someone else out there like you." Joe said.

"Yeah, but he was treated at a different hospital which is why Dr. Wells didn't find him." Barry said.

"That would explain something. When Black shot up Stag industries and you whooshed me out, something else whooshed in. I'm guessing that's the other person you're talking about." Joe said.

"This guy seems like he wants to help but we need to find out who he is." Barry said.

"All right, let me get my keys." Joe said.

"Don't need them." Barry said as he super sped Joe to the hospital.

"Whoa." Joe said as Barry chuckled.

"Cool huh?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, but I think I'll stick to driving." Joe said as they walked into the hospital and to the front desk.

"Hi, can I help you?" The nurse asked.

"Yes, my name is Detective Joe West with the Central City Police Department. I here to get some information on a patient you admitted 9 months ago." Joe said.

"What patient would that be?" The nurse said as she brought up the files on the computer.

"He was a coma patient who got struck by lightning 9 months ago." Barry said.

"Ah, Naruto, oh he was a sweet boy. One second, I'll get the file. Can I ask what this is about? He's not in trouble is he?" The Nurse asked.

"No, just like to ask him some questions." Joe said as the nurse got the file.

"Here you go." The nurse said.

"Thank you." Joe said as he and Barry left.

"So our other road runner is Naruto Namikaze." Joe said.

"What, Namikaze?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, that's what it says." Joe said.

"Because there was a scientist at Star Labs by the name of Minato Namikaze. I read he worked with Doctor Wells on the Particle Accelerator project." Barry said.

"Maybe Dr. Wells can fill you in. I'll track down his known address and see if I can get in touch with his parents." Joe said as Barry nodded and super sped away. "Could have at least got me back to the precinct." Joe said as he called a cab.

Dr. Wells, Cisco and Caitlin were working on other leads and tracking down odd leads for possible Meta-human sightings when Barry whooshed in.

"I got the hospital records. Our coma patient is Naruto Namikaze." Barry said as Dr. Wells, Caitlin and Cisco were shocked. "Why do you all look so shocked?"

"Because I know him." Dr. Wells said.

"You do?" Barry asked.

"Naruto Namikaze is the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. Both were scientists who have worked with me over the years and worked on the Particle Accelerator. Naruto is their son and was a very promising scientist to be until his parents were killed in a car crash 2 years ago. He took their death very hard, he quit school and sort of went off the grid. He came to see me a few days ago, asking if the Particle Accelerator explosion may have had some side effects…I see now he was talking about what happened to him." Dr. Wells said.

"All right, well then lets find him and talk to him." Barry said as he got a call from the precinct about multiple homicides dealing with the Darbinian crime family.

"You go do your job. Cisco, Caitlin and I can handle Naruto." Dr. Wells said as Barry super sped away.

Line Break xxxxx

The CCPD arrived at a restaurant and were greeted with an empty restaurant and 9 dead bodies, all of them were high-ranking members of the Darbinian crime family. Barry concluded his primary autopsy as Joe walked up to him.

"Barry, anything?" Joe asked.

"Signs of Histotoxic hypoxia. The cells in their bodies weren't able to utilize oxygen, it's consistent with exposure to poison gas." Barry said.

"Why kind of poison?" Joe asked.

"I'll need to take a lung sample, see if I can narrow it down." Barry said as Joe nodded and Thawne walked up to Joe.

"The only other exit was bolted from the inside, they were trapped. I was thinking someone pumped gas in from the outside but witnesses say the street was empty." Thawne said.

"So it was from the inside. Then there should be a canister or container left behind. The gas just didn't come in by itself." Joe said.

"Unless it had a mind of it's own." Barry said as Thawne looked at him like he was crazy but then chuckled as it was another wild theory of his.

"Eddie, would you mind canvassing again, someone had to have seen something." Joe said as Eddie nodded and he left and he then turned to Barry. "Ok, explain."

"The boss collapsed near the table, this guy made it 10 ft away, and that guy had the chance to fire 3 shots into the window trying to break the glass. But they all started in the same spot. Which means that they all should have been exposed to the gas at the same time but it's as if—" "They were targeted one by one." Joe said, finishing Barry's sentence.

"My gut feeling…if we're going to solve this, we're going to need backup." Joe said.

In the other part of town, Dr. Wells, Cisco and Caitlin were able to find the current address of Naruto…the Central City shelter. They all got out of the car and looked at where they were.

"Man, he lives here." Cisco said.

"I guess when your parents are gone, and you quit school…you don't have many options left." Caitlin said.

"Come on, let's find him." Dr. Wells said as they entered the shelter to see a Blonde woman with a large bust talking with another woman with black hair and carrying a baby pig.

"Hello, can we help you?" The Blonde woman asked.

"Yes, my name is Dr. Harrison Wells. This is Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow, we're from STAR Labs and we're here to see a resident of yours." Dr. Wells said.

"And who would that be?" The other woman asked.

"Naruto Namikaze." Dr. Wells said.

"Ah, you must be _the_ Dr. Wells that worked with Naruto's parents." The Blonde woman said.

"I am." Dr. Wells said.

"My name is Tsunade Senju and this is my home. This is my assistant Shizune." Tsunade said.

"It's nice to meet you." Shizune said.

"So what do you want with Naruto?" Tsunade asked.

"Just to talk to him." Dr. Wells said. "I'm surprised that you know who I am."

"Naruto told me about you." Tsunade said.

"He did?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Not at first, but after some time here and when he finally got comfortable…he talked about his past and his parents. How they worked at STAR labs and how they worked with you on this Particle Accelerator Project." Tsunade said.

"Minato and Kushina were very good people. I owe them a lot…and I'm sorry to say that I couldn't be there for Naruto when he needed me. But I hope to make up for that." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, let's go see if he's in his room." Tsunade said as Tsunade showed them through the shelter to Naruto's room.

"So, Naruto lives here?" Caitlin asked.

"He does. He came looking for a job so I hired him to help tidy around the place and in exchange he gets a pay and a room here as well." Tsunade said.

"He also helps the kids with their homework. He's a very brilliant young boy." Shizune said.

"That he is." Dr. Wells said as Tsunade knocked on the door to Naruto's room.

"Naruto? You have guests." Tsunade said as there was no answer. Tsunade knocked again but still no answer so Tsunade opened the door and they saw Naruto was not in his room but Kurama was.

"Oh, who's the cutie?" Caitlin asked as Kurama walked over to Caitlin and pet himself against her as she pet his head.

"That would be Kurama. He was Naruto's family pet, we've met on more than one occasion." Dr. Wells said as Kurama walked over to Dr. Wells and he pet the fox's head.

"I guess Naruto isn't here." Cisco said as they looked around and saw Naruto's room. It was basic, he had a bed, dresser and a desk. Some old photos and snack packages around...a lot of snack packages and then they saw some old files and worksheets. Dr. Wells went up to the files and saw they were Minato's old work sheets.

"Huh, looks like Naruto tried to used his father's research to make sense of what was going on." Dr. Wells said.

"What is going on? Why do you people need Naruto?" Tsunade asked, protective of Naruto.

"We would just like to talk to him about his accident that occurred over 9 months ago, that's it. If you see him, tell him to come to STAR Labs, we'd like to talk." Dr. Wells said as they left.

Line Break xxxxx

After Dr. Wells, Caitlin and Cisco struck out at the Shelter, they returned to STAR Labs where Joe and Barry were waiting for them with another meta-human case: a possible meta-human would can control poison gas.

"Fascinating a meta-human that can manipulate poison gas." Dr. Wells said as he got to work on his computer.

"Is it just poisonous gas or can he control all aerated substances?" Cisco pointed out.

"And how is he able to formulate the connection? Is it physiological or psychological?" Caitlin added.

"This individual can create a mental nexus using gaseous substances." Dr. Wells said.

"You mean connect with gases on a molecular level, that is ridiculously cool." Cisco said.

"They get really excited about this stuff." Barry told Joe.

"The only thing I'm concerned about is putting this criminal behind bars. Except Iron Heights isn't exactly equipped to handle meta-humans." Joe said.

"Then I guess it's fortunate that the ones we've encountered are no longer with us." Dr. Well said.

"Well, unless we plan on executing every super criminal we stop, you genius's are going to have to find someplace else to hold them." Joe said.

"A meta-human prison? Cool." Cisco said.

Dr. Wells then saw the computer beep and activated the monitor and they saw Naruto Namikaze riding the elevator.

"Well it seems he got our message." Dr. Wells said.

"That's him?" Barry asked.

"That's him." Dr. Wells said.

"Who him?" Joe asked.

"That is Naruto Namikaze, our second Speedster." Dr. Wells said.

"Stay here for a moment. I'll get him." Dr. Wells said as he strolled out of the main lab and to the entrance.

Naruto exited the elevator and walked out to see Dr. Wells waiting for him. "I see you got my message." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, as soon as I got back to the shelter they told me and I made my way over here. You said you had answers for me?" Naruto asked.

"I believe so. Follow me." Dr. Wells said as he went down the hall and Naruto followed.

"So I was right, something did happen the night of the Particle Acceleration explosion." Naruto said.

"Something did. The night of the explosion, a dimensional barrier opened unleashing unknown elements into our world. Anti-matter, dark energy, type-zero elements. Basically, when the accelerator exploded, the worlds definition of normal changed." Dr. Wells said.

"Dr. Wells…do you know of any people who were affected by the blast?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, we do." Dr. Wells said.

"We?" Naruto asked as they walked into the main room of STAR Labs and Naruto saw all the computers and lab equipment and a red suit in the center that Naruto saw. He also saw four other people in the room as well.

"Naruto Namikaze, I'd like to introduce you to Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Barry Allen, and Detective Joe West. Everyone meet Naruto Namikaze." Dr. Wells said as they smiled and Naruto seemed a bit confused.

"Uh, hi." Naruto said.

"Don't worry, Naruto. You're among friends." Dr. Wells said.

"So, aside from being in one of the most advance labs in the country, why am I here?" Naruto asked.

"Well, we figured if you were going to continue using your powers to try and help the city. Then you should at least do it with someone who may have some more experience than you." Dr. Wells said.

"Yup." Barry said as he super sped behind Naruto and Naruto quickly turned around. "I hear you're pretty fast."

"No way. You're the…the Streak." Naruto said.

"Yup. And I hear that you've been making a name for yourself as well." Barry said as Naruto smirked and then super sped behind Barry as Barry turned around.

"Trying to." Naruto said as everyone laughed.

"This is so cool." Cisco said.

"So do you guys have powers as well?" Naruto asked.

"No, we are just here to help Barry stop other dangerous meta-humans out there." Dr. Wells said.

"Meta-humans?" Naruto asked.

"People like Multiplex you fought a few days ago." Cisco said.

"Uh…" Naruto said confused.

"The guy who could create copies of himself. The one who shot up Stag industries that you and Barry helped stop." Detective Joe West said.

"Oh. So the CCPD knows about the explosion and meta-humans?" Naruto asked.

"No, the CCPD and the rest of the city doesn't know what happened for that matter. Just tall tales and rumors at this point, and we'd like to keep it that way. But these meta-humans are a serious threat and the police can't handle them." Joe said.

"So you guys are like some superhero crime fighting team…cool!" Naruto said.

"Basically. We help Barry keep this city safe and help him develop and control his powers. We'd also like to help you as well, Naruto." Dr. Wells said.

"Really…be apart of a secret crime fighting group to bust super-powered villains…I'm in." Naruto said as they chuckled.

"Sweet, I get my own sidekick." Barry chuckled as he put his arm on Naruto's shoulder as Naruto removed his arm.

"Whoa, I'm not your sidekick." Naruto said as everyone chuckled and Naruto looked at the computer screens and saw copies of police files. "So guys have another meta-human to find?"

"Yeah, a new strange one. We think this guy can control poison gas." Caitlin said.

"Only poison gas or can he control other gaseous substances? And does he control the gas by physical or mental means?" Naruto asked as he walked over to the computers and he and Caitlin, Cisco and Dr. Wells began to talk about the details as Joe looked at Barry.

"Looks like he's settling right in." Joe said as Barry chuckled.

"A question. How do you plan on stopping this guy? I mean if this guy can control gas, a normal prison can't keep this guy locked up." Naruto said.

"Well, we'll have to come up with a prison to hold them." Dr. Wells said.

"Cool, a meta-human prison." Naruto said.

"At least until we can figure out how to remove their powers." Dr. Wells said.

"There is one place here that might hold them." Cisco said as Caitlin and Dr. Wells realized what he meant.

"You can't be serious. I mean we haven't been down there since…It's closed off." Caitlin said as she began to get emotional.

"Cisco is right. It could be modified to act as a makeshift prison." Dr. Wells said.

"What could?" Barry asked.

"The Particle Accelerator." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin remembered that night, 9 months ago.

Line Break xxxxx (Flashback)

 _9 Months ago in Central City, everyone was buzzing with the news that the STAR Labs particle accelerator would be turned on as Dr. Wells was giving a speech to the people who came to watch it at the labs. After his speech, Dr. Wells returned to the main lab where Cisco, Caitlin and a bunch of the other scientists were busy triple-checking everything to make sure it would run fine._

 _Dr. Wells walked in as Cisco walked up to him. "Dr. Wells, we just got the latest weather report. A big thunderstorm is rolling in." Cisco said._

" _Well, we're not launching a space shuttle. We'll be fine." Dr. Wells said as Cisco went over to the computer and Caitlin was talking to her fiancé Ronnie Raymond, one of the lead engineers who helped build the Particle Accelerator._

" _Tahiti?" Ronnie asked._

" _I know it's a long flight, Ronnie. But we can binge watch Orange is the new black on the airplane." Caitlin said._

" _Ok, but what about Italy. Pizza and wine, and more pizza." Ronnie said._

" _Yes, but Italy doesn't have Mai Tais. And a honeymoon isn't a honeymoon without Mai Tais." Caitlin said._

" _Dr. Wells. The Accelerator is primed and ready for particle injection." Cisco said as Dr. Wells smiled and the other scientists gathered around to watch._

" _Well, I feel I should say something profound, like one small step for man. All I can say is that I fell like I've been waiting for this day for my entire life. And I couldn't have made it this far without two dear friends and colleagues who are no longer with us. Minato…Kushina…this is for you." Dr. Wells said as he held his hand against the computer as it scanned his fingerprints, recognized that it was him and activated the Accelerator as everyone heard a little whir sound start._

" _That's it? You'd think there would be like, a loud bang." Cisco said._

" _If there was a loud bang we'd all be in trouble." Ronnie said._

" _Take it from the guy who helped build it." Caitlin said._

" _Ladies and gentlemen,…we did it." Dr. Wells said as everyone clapped as Ronnie kissed Caitlin and smiled._

 _Dr. Wells then opened a bottle of champagne as everyone cheered but then they heard a weird sound as some of the champagne actually floated out of the bottle and floated in the air for a few seconds…like it was in a zero gravity environment. It then fell to the ground as an alarm went off and a loud bang came from the Accelerator._

" _Was that…" "The Loud bang." Ronnie said._

 _Line Break xxxxx End of Flashback_

"Caitlin…CAITLIN. Did you hear me. I'm going down to the Accelerator ring." Dr. Wells said as Barry saw how hurt Caitlin was getting at this news.

"Actually, Dr. Wells. I could use Caitlin's help identifying the poison gas." Barry said as Dr. Wells understood.

"Ok." Dr. Wells said.

"If that's ok with you?" Barry asked.

"Let's go." Caitlin said as she got up and Dr. Wells went over to Naruto.

"Naruto, Cisco and I have to do something really quickly. Just wait here, and I'll be back." Dr. Wells said.

"Sure." Naruto said as he stuck around.

Naruto looked around at the lab as everyone left. He looked at Barry's suit that was on display, analyzing the material and wondered what it was made of. He also looked at the rest of the lab equipment, the computer monitors hooked up to the STAR labs satellite and the medical equipment in one of the rooms. He then made his way to another room and saw a giant treadmill with an observation room. Naruto made his way over to the treadmill and saw the wires connected to the observation room and then saw a whole wall of boxes against the far wall.

"Hmm, a large treadmill. Eh, why not." Naruto said as he took off his jacket and put on his goggles and stood on the treadmill. He didn't see an on button so he decided to start running…very slowly to begin with as the treadmill seemed to start up so he kept running.

As he was running, Dr. Wells and Cisco walked into the lab and saw Naruto was gone but heard the treadmill running so they walked into the observation room and saw Naruto running on the treadmill as Dr. Wells turned on the monitors to see how Naruto was doing.

"Hmm, blood pressure, respiratory functions are the same as Barry's." Cisco said as he saw monitors.

"Yes, and his speed is about the same as Barry's as well." Dr. Wells said as he activated the speaker. "Naruto!" Dr. Wells shouted as Naruto was shocked and slipped, and ended up crashing off the treadmill as Cisco and Dr. Wells saw him.

"Oh, that's got to hurt." Cisco said as he and Dr. Wells left the observation room to help Naruto.

They helped him onto his feet and took him back to the labs as Naruto sat down and held his wrist.

"Ow, my wrist." Naruto said as Cisco and Dr. Wells looked him over.

"Looks like a sprain. Don't worry, if you have Barry's powers, you'll heal fast as well." Cisco said.

"Cool." Naruto said as his stomach growled and Dr. Wells chuckled and handed him a energy bar.

"Along with your new speed, your metabolism shot up as well." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that." Naruto said.

"Here, we made these for Barry. High calorie energy bars to keep your metabolism up." Cisco said as Naruto ate the energy bar and felt better.

"Wow, that works." Naruto said as they chuckled and then Naruto looked at his shoes and they were worn out.

"I guess normal shoes aren't really going to work with my speed." Naruto said as Cisco walked over to another room and came back with some red boots.

"Here, use these. They're frictionless boots so they should be fine with your running at high speeds." Cisco said as Naruto thanked him.

"Do you guys have spare goggles?" Naruto asked as his goggles were a bit wrecked when he fell on the treadmill.

"I'll see what I can do." Cisco said.

"Thanks." Naruto said as Cisco took them and went over to the computers as Dr. Wells spoke to Naruto.

"I'm glad to see you got a handle on your powers." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, I'm just glad the high metabolism is the only thing I've got to worry about." Naruto joked as Dr. Wells chuckled.

"I'm just glad you developed powers instead of staying in a coma." Dr. Wells said.

"So…Dr. Wells are you all right with all of this?" Naruto asked.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I mean all of this meta-humans and capturing bad guys. You and my parents were scientists, through and through…science was your life. This..." Naruto said as he pointed to STAR Labs. "was what you and my parents worked for. How do you come back…when everyone you worked with…everything you held dear is gone?" Naruto asked as Dr. Wells thought for a moment and then looked at Naruto.

"By reminding myself that doing nothing or walking away is no answer to my problem. I caused all of this happen…I ruined many lives that night, because of my hubris and my ego and I caused so much pain to so many lives, including my own." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked at the wheelchair. "I hurt so many lives that night, but now I can try and made amends for what I did. I'm not sure how much I can help the people of this city, but one thing for sure is that I can help Barry…and help you."

"I just wish my parents were here." Naruto said.

"I know you miss them. But they would want you to move on with your life…and if they could see you now. They would want you to trust your heart and head and do what you believe was right." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded and then Cisco called to them.

"Hey, Naruto. I was looking over your goggles and I found something hidden in the strap." Cisco said as he walked over and showed Naruto and small key.

"A key?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, it was tucked behind one of the straps. It was actually hidden pretty well, inserted in the middle of the strap so you wouldn't notice it if you put the goggles on." Cisco said.

"Why would my dad put a key in this?" Naruto asked.

"Because he wanted you to find it." Dr. Wells said. "Your father must have left you that key in case something happened to him."

"But what does this key unlock?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not sure." Dr. Wells said as he looked at the key and then the computer speaker went off.

" _Cisco, do you read me?!"_ Barry said over the speaker as Cisco went to the computer.

"Yeah, Barry I read you." Cisco said.

"There was another mysterious gas attack at the Central City Mall." Barry said as Cisco brought up blueprints of the mall and brought up the mall security radio system.

"I patched into the mall's security system. According to eye witnesses the gas attacked occurred in the main elevator at the north wing." Cisco said.

" _Which one is the north wing?"_ Barry asked.

"The one with the Big Belly Burger." Dr. Wells said as Cisco and Naruto looked at him weird. "I eat."

Barry super sped through the mall, going so fast that he appeared as a blur to the civilians. He saw the dead women and kicked himself for not getting there sooner. He then looked around and saw green smoke go through a door that led to the maintenance entrance and Barry ran after it.

He entered the maintenance hallway to see the green smoke solidify into an actual person. "Why did you kill that woman?!" Barry yelled as the man turned around.

"She deserved to die. Now go run away. I still have one more name on my list, don't make me add you too it." The man said as Barry super sped forward and punched him in the face but he turned to smoke and then re-solidify. He then punched Barry in the face and then in the stomach as Barry fell to his knees. Barry then swung at the man's midsection but he turned to smoke again and moved behind Barry. The smoke then actually hit Barry in the face and then forced itself into Barry's nose and mouth as Barry began to react immediately, trying to breathe.

He fell to the ground as the sensors in the suit began to lower as Dr. Wells was a bit concerned. "Barry? Barry, can you hear me?!" Dr. Wells said over the speaker.

"His vitals are weak Dr. Wells, but they're still there. I'm sure he's fine." Naruto said as a whoosh of air hit the lab and Barry appeared near the computers, with his mask off and hyperventilating.

"I…I can't breathe {Cough}" Barry managed to say as his lung ways began to constrict.

"He needs oxygen! GET THE CRASH CART!" Dr. Wells shouted as Cisco ran to get it while Naruto got him on the lab gurney as Caitlin arrived.

"BARRY!" Caitlin shouted as she ran in and Naruto unzipped his jacket and Cisco tried to get a read on what was in his lungs.

"Cut me open…ah…the poison's still in me…" Barry managed to say.

"He brought us a sample. Caitlin we need to do a pulmonary biopsy, extract an active portion of that gas!" Dr. Wells said.

"I can't give you any anesthetics, you're metabolism will burn right through it!" Caitlin told Barry.

"I heal quick…remember." Barry said.

"Do it." Dr. Wells said.

"Cisco, hand me the syringe." Caitlin said as Cisco handed her a syringe with a pretty large needle. "This is going to hurt, a lot."

"It's a small needle he probably won't even feel it." Cisco said.

"You're definitely going to feel it." Caitlin said as she stabbed the needle in his chest as Barry felt the extreme pain.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry soon regained consciousness, felt a lot of pain in his chest as he saw Cisco looking at him. "The Streak lives." Cisco said.

"You'd be dead if your lung cells didn't regenerate so quickly." Caitlin said.

"Oh, my chest feels like that one time I had a cigarette." Barry said as Caitlin looked at him weird. "Yeah, teen me lived for danger."

"This isn't funny, you could have…" "I didn't." Barry said.

"Now that we have a sample, we'll get to work analyzing it, figure out the makeup of the poison. Maybe get a clue to his human identity." Dr. Wells said.

"Or at least find out a way to stop him from turning into a mist." Cisco said as he got a smile. "The Mist! Ok, that's his name, end of discussion."

"I have to get to the station." Barry said.

"You should be resting." Naruto told him.

"I have to talk to Joe." Barry said as he left.

Barry got changed and headed back to the police precinct and walked into his lab where he saw Joe looking over some files. "Joe, I had him. The meta-human, we were wrong he's not controlling airborne toxins. He can literally transform himself into poison gas." Barry said.

"That's new. The victim, was a judge. We're going through some of her old cases to see if there's a connection." Joe said.

"It's too late. I should have been faster." Barry said.

"Focus on the job, don't think about that right now." Joe told him.

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking about." Barry said as he walked over to the window ledge.

"My dad has spent 14 years in a 6x8 cell for a crime he didn't commit. I couldn't save my mom but I can save him." Barry said.

"Didn't I tell you that we would get your father out of prison, together." Joe said.

"I don't need your help Joe. I could be in and out of there with him before anyone even sees me." Barry said.

"Ok, you break him out of there. Then what? He's on the run. For the rest of his life, and something tells me that he's not as fast as you are." Joe said.

"You don't know what it's like there." Barry said.

"You think I don't understand what you're feeling? I've been a cop for almost as long as you've been alive. So you should know that putting on that suit does not make everybody safe. For everybody you save, there's going to be somebody you can't, and the hardest thing you're going to have to face is not some monster out there with super powers, it's going to be that feeling of uselessness. When you can't do anything. Or the guilt that weights on you when you make a mistake." Joe told Barry as he thought for a moment.

"Something's, Barry, you can't fight. Something's you just have to live with." Joe told him as he left.

Back with Naruto, he returned to the shelter and walked into his room to see Tsunade and Shizune waiting for him. "Uh, hi." Naruto said.

"Hey, Naruto." Tsunade said.

"Is something wrong?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know. We were hoping you could tell us." Tsunade said as Naruto looked at her.

"You were in a coma for 9 months and when you get back, you begin to act strange. Not to mention the fact that Dr. Wells from STAR labs seems to have taken an extreme interests in what happened to you and that doesn't normally happen." Shizune said.

"Relax, nothing's going on." Naruto told them as they knew he was lying.

"You always were a bad liar, Naruto." Tsunade said as she stood up and walked up to Naruto. "Seriously, what's going on? We're worried." Tsunade said as Naruto saw they were concerned,…and he didn't feel right from keeping this from them. They needed to know.

"Believe me, it's a long and complicated story." Naruto told them.

"We can keep up." Tsunade said as Naruto sat down and made the decision to tell them the truth.

Line Break xxxxx

After a good night sleep, Naruto felt refreshed and returned back to STAR Labs. He super sped to the labs and walked through the front door to the main labs. He pulled out the key that Cisco found yesterday in his dad's old goggles from his pocket. He looked at it and wondered what it was for. He then walked into the main lab to see Cisco working at a table and Dr. Wells at the computers.

"Morning." Naruto said as Dr. Wells and Cisco saw Naruto walk in.

"Morning." Dr. Wells said as Cisco walked over to Naruto.

"Hey, fixed your dad's goggles." Cisco said as he handed them to Naruto and Naruto smiled as he saw they were fixed.

"Thanks, Cisco." Naruto said.

"No problem. I did have some ideas about some alterations, so let me know. I've got some great ideas." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

"So any idea on what kind of poison we've got?" Naruto asked.

"Almost. The computer is almost done with the reconstruction and identification of the poison." Dr. Wells said as he rolled over to Naruto who put his dad's goggles around his neck. "How are you?"

"Fine." Naruto said.

"Good. Do you still have that key?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Yeah. Did you find out what this unlocks?" Naruto asked.

"No, but I think I may have an idea." Dr. Wells said as he and Naruto walked out of the lab. "Cisco, watch over the computers and contact us when it's done." Dr. Wells said as Cisco nodded.

Dr. Wells then led Naruto to one office that Naruto recognized. "My dad's office." Naruto said.

"Yeah. I figured if he put that key in there, this would be the best place to start looking." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded. Naruto then opened the door and saw an partially empty room that his dad use to work in. Some old boxes and furniture were still there collecting dust as Naruto remembered when he was younger, he use to spend a lot of time in this office.

"Wow, it seems like yesterday when my dad use to help me with my homework here." Naruto said as he remembered sitting in an old chair near his dad's desk.

"Yes, those were good times." Dr. Wells said as he smiled as well. They looked around for something that might help them. Dr. Wells looked over the desk while Naruto looked around the rest of the room. He went to the far wall and saw an old photo of his family outside STAR labs when he was younger. Naruto smiled as he remembered the memory but noticed how some dust seemed to seep under the photo, which was kind of weird.

Naruto then reached up to the photo and took it off the wall and saw it was covering a keyhole. "Dr. Wells." Naruto said as Dr. Wells rolled over to Naruto and saw the keyhole.

"Your father was always a clever person." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled. Naruto then took the key out and inserted it into the keyhole and turned it 90 degrees and heard a click. Then part of the bookcase pushed out and Naruto saw it was a door. Naruto then opened the bookcase door and walked in as the light in the room turned on. Naruto saw computer monitors around the room that were connected to various machines but the main focal point of the room was in the middle,…it was a suit. Not a business or party suit but some kind of lab suit. Naruto saw it had a large dark orange arrow-like streak down the middle of the suit and dark orange gloves and boot with the rest of the suit colored white. He also saw the suit covered the neck, and parts of the head including the jaw, and sides of the face including the ears but left most of face and hair uncovered.

Naruto walked around the suit, getting a closer look and saw it didn't look like material used for regular clothes. "What is it?" Naruto asked.

"Not sure. Maybe one of your father's secret projects." Dr. Wells said.

"Secret projects?" Naruto asked.

"If he went to the trouble of hiding the door and key, it was probably for a reason." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded and looked at the suit and then walked over to one of the computers. He pressed a button and the screen turned on but said password required. Naruto thought for a moment then typed in his father's birth date, his mother's birth date and his mother's name but it was wrong. Naruto then typed in his name and it was right.

"Hmm, Project Control?" Naruto asked.

"Never heard of it." Dr. Wells said.

"It says here that this is a prototype environmental suit. Designed for experiments with hazardous conditions. It has built in sensors to monitor the researchers body for any injuries or exposure to dangerous elements. The suit insulates the body's natural heat in situations dealing with extreme cold and can regulate cooling in situations with extreme heat. The suit also is tear resistant and friction proof, my father designed it as the scientists perfect protection for experiments, for the scientist to maintain absolute control on what he was doing." Naruto said.

"Interesting." Dr. Wells said as he looked over the suit.

"I guess my dad had his fill of secrets." Naruto said as he looked at the suit and then at the computers that had recorded it's last use.

"We all have our secrets. Don't tell me that you don't keep certain things close to the chest?" Dr. Wells joked as Naruto chuckled.

"I wonder why my dad never told me about this or why he never tried to put this into use for other scientists?" Naruto said out loud.

"My guess is that either he wanted to keep one thing for himself or he was afraid how other scientists or people might use it." Dr. Wells said.

"I guess so." Naruto said as they heard the intercom go off.

"Dr. Wells, the analysis of the poison gas is done." Cisco said over the speakers as Dr. Wells replied using the speaker in his chair.

"We're on our way back." Dr. Wells said as he and Naruto went back to the lab.

"So what do we got?" Naruto asked.

"This." Cisco said as he brought up a 3-D molecular image of the toxin. "Hydrogen Cyanide."

"Hmm." Dr. Wells said as he looked at the image. "There's something else mixed in as well, right?"

"Yeah, it was some kind of sedative." Cisco said.

"That's weird." Naruto said as Barry and Caitlin walked in, having heard Cisco call to them over the speakers at the particle accelerator chamber.

"Hey, check this out. It's a 3-D molecular model of the gas we retrieved from your lungs." Cisco said.

"We have identified the toxin." Dr. Wells said.

"Hydrogen Cyanide?" Barry asked.

"What's interesting is what is mixed in with the cyanide. A sedative." Dr. Wells said as Barry got an idea.

"Of course. The night of the explosion find out if anyone was executed." Barry told Caitlin who used the computer.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"That sedative is given to criminals on death row before they go to the gas chamber and breath in hydrogen cyanide." Barry said.

"That's right." Dr. Wells said.

"There was someone executed. Kyle Nimbis." Caitlin said as she brought up his file and photo on the computer.

"That's him." Barry said, recognizing him.

"He was a hit man for the Darbinian crime family. They turned against him and testified. Judge Teresa Howard was the judge at his trial. She sentenced him to death." Caitlin said.

"He must have been affected by the Particle Accelerator while he was being gassed which then fused his body with it." Naruto said.

"Records indicate the execution was completed." Cisco said.

"Well that's why we didn't find a DNA match. The database only holds records of the living." Barry said.

"Right." Dr. Wells replied.

"He said there was one more person on his list. Check the arrest record, who caught him. That could be his next target." Barry said as Caitlin used the computer.

"Barry. The lead detective…" Caitlin said as she showed Barry the screen and Barry saw it was Joe.

"Joe…" Barry said as he took out his phone and called Joe. He waited for an answer but Joe didn't pick up his phone. He tried two more times but nothing so he then called the police station. "Eddie."

" _Barry, what's up?"_ Eddie asked.

"Hey, do you know where Joe went, he's not picking up his cell." Barry said.

" _Um, not sure."_ Joe said.

"Eddie, it's really important I speak to him. I need to know where he went." Barry said.

" _He went to Iron Heights,…to see your dad."_ Eddie as Barry went wide-eyed and then hung up.

"Barry. I reverse engineered an antidote to the toxin. I hope you won't need it." Caitlin said as she handed him a injector with the antidote. Barry thanked her and then got suited up and left.

Line Break xxxxx

Joe arrived at Iron Heights Prison and went through security check in and registration and was then moved to the visiting section where visitors could talk to family or loved ones through phones and a mirror. Joe walked in and sat down at a booth and then Henry Allen, Barry's father walked through the other side and was confused as to why Joe was here. He sat down and took the phone off the wall as Joe picked up the other phone.

"What are you doing here? Is Barry all right?" Henry asked.

"He's fine." Joe said.

"Then to what do I owe this visit?" Henry asked.

"I know I should have come to see you sooner." Joe said.

"You just weren't up for a little chit-chat with the man who murdered his wife in front of his own son?" Henry asked as Joe got serious.

"Except now I know you didn't kill your wife." Joe said as Henry was a bit shocked and listened. "Some new evidence has come to light…I can't go into detail, it's just that…look. The important thing is, I'm reopening the case. I'm going to find out who really killed Nora, and I promise you, Henry, I'm going to get you out of here. I am so sorry."

"Doesn't matter that you didn't believe in me…cause you always believed in my son." Henry said as the two old friends were starting to repair their friendship.

Henry then heard some wind rustling and the guard chocking, and saw the guard in the room surrounded by a green smoke. Joe turned too, to see the guard chocking, gasping for breath and trying to breathe but he couldn't and fell to the ground dead. Joe got up and walked to the guard as Henry stood up to get a better view.

Then the green smoke formed in front of Joe and solidified to show Nimbus, and Joe recognized him.

"Nimbus? You're suppose to be dead?" Joe said in shock.

"So are you." Nimbus said as he turned to gas and sent some through Joe's mouth and nose as Joe began to cough and hyperventilate as he tried to breathe but couldn't. Joe fell to the ground and began to into seizures as Henry shouted for help.

"Joe?! JOE?! Help guards, help!" Henry shouted as the green smoke left through the ventilation system.

Henry continued to watch as Joe was shaking when he saw a flash of yellow lightning zoomed into the room and Henry saw some man in a red suit appear next to Joe. Barry arrived and saw Joe going into a seizure. He then took out the antidote and injected it into Joe's neck, as Joe seemed to calm down. Barry then looked up to see his dad looking at him and Joe. So his dad wouldn't recognize him, he moved his face at super-sped, vibrating it so that his face wouldn't be clear. Barry then looked back down at Joe as Joe started to regain consciousness.

"Go get him." Joe whispered as Barry nodded and left.

Back at Star Labs, they were monitoring the situation and saw that Barry used the cure on Joe, the only one. "He used the antidote on Joe." Caitlyn said. "You need to stay away from him, Barry. Do not breathe him in." She said through the communicator.

" _What am I suppose to do?"_ Barry asked.

"Just…keep him coming at you, that should sap his strength." Caitlyn said as Naruto was sick of waiting on the sidelines and he got an idea…but it would take two speedsters.

"Barry, just hold him off for another minute. I got an idea." Naruto said as he then grabbed his goggles on the table and Dr. Wells knew what he was planning to do.

"Naruto, wait—" Harrison was cut off when Naruto super sped away. Naruto ran to his dad's office, grabbed the suit and then booked it to the road leading to Iron Heights as fast as he could while also putting on the suit. He unzipped it, strapped it on and pulled the sleaves up and put on the face part as he then put on his goggles and ran through the city in a blur of orange lightning.

Barry was dodging and running away from Nimbus but didn't see a smoke cloud to his side. The cloud solidified a bit and smacked Barry through the air, and sent him tumbling to the ground. Barry groaned as he saw the mist heading towards him but was then tackled to the side and saved. He turned to see Naruto in a white and orange suit with his goggles on.

"Came just in time." Naruto said as he helped Barry to his feet.

"Yeah. Nice suit." Barry said as Naruto smiled. They saw the green mist solidify into Nimbus as he was beginning to breathe heavily. "So, what's the plan?"

"An old high school experiment. Trap some gas in a vacuum." Naruto said as Barry smiled at the plan. They nodded and then super-sped to Nimbus as he exploded in a cloud of green smoke. Naruto and Barry ran around Nimbus in a circle, creating an air vacuum that would prevent Nimbus from smoking out. The vacuum wasn't giving his smoke a chance to leave. Nimbus concentrated as hard as he could, straining himself but his smoke wasn't leaving the vacuum and after a minute, Naruto and Barry stopped running to see Nimbus on the ground, unconscious from the vacuum that also sucked up the oxygen.

"Nicely done there." Barry said as he pat Naruto on the shoulder.

'"All in a days work." Naruto said.

" _Nicely done, both of you."_ Dr. Wells said over the communicator. " _Now bring him back here, the pipeline is ready for him._

Line Break xxxxx

After defeating Nimbus and taking him back to Star Labs, Barry rushed Joe to the hospital where they were looking after him. He stayed with Joe and after about an hour, Joe began to wake up and was greeted by the sight of Barry sleeping in a chair. Barry groaned as he began to wake up and saw Joe looking at him.

"Been a while since I saw you sleep." Joe said as Barry chuckled and rubbed his eyes.

"Rescuing you is exhausting." Barry joked as he got out of the chair.

"I really miss the ability to be able to ground you." Joe said as he chuckled.

"Sorry I went and grew up." Barry said as he shook Joe's hand. "I could have gotten my dad out of Iron Heights tonight."

"I know." Joe replied.

"But you were right. It's not the way." Barry said.

"Daddy." They heard as they saw Iris and Eddie walk in. Iris walked up and hugged her dad.

"Hey, baby. I'm fine, don't worry." Joe said.

"I'll let you guys talk." Barry said as he left.

Back at Star Labs, Dr. Wells, Caitlyn, Cisco, and Naruto still in his suit but with his goggles off and the face part of his suit down, were standing outside the particle accelerator chamber as they saw Nimbus tried and smoke out, or bust open his new jail cell, but it wasn't working.

"Will it hold?" Caitlyn asked.

"The barrier is powered by an 8.3 Tesla superconducting electromagnet, which is about 100 times the strength of Earth's magnetic field." Cisco said.

"In other words, yes." Naruto said as they looked at Nimbus. "He seems angry."

"Indeed." Wells said as he pressed a button on his wheelchair pad. "Goodbye." He said as the accelerator door closed.

"So we're just suppose to get use to working in a lab above a makeshift prison containing criminals with super powers?" Caitlyn asked.

"You'd be surprised about what you can get you use to." Dr. Wells said.

"Can things get weirder?" Naruto asked.

"Coming from the new speedster wearing the outfit." Cisco said as Naruto looked at himself.

"I think I look good. And it's a nice fit." Naruto said as he pat his shoulder.

"I kind of like the color scheme. But I'm not sure how I feel about the sort of weird arrow down the middle. And there's not really a mask." Cisco said.

"Well I'm sure when my dad was making this, he didn't think to really conceal his identity." Naruto said as he put his goggles on. "But that's what my goggles are for."

"He's got a point." Caitlyn said.

"Well, I got some ideas of upgrades and enhancements if you want to wear goggles. And I'd like to analyze that suit so I can make more, just incase." Cisco said.

"All right." Naruto said.

"Now, all we need is a name for you." Caitlyn said.

"Oh, I got it. How about, Kid Streak?" Cisco asked.

"Uh, no. I'm not a kid. I'm about the same age as Barry." Naruto said.

"A few years younger. How about, the Orange Flash?" Caitlyn asked.

"Ehh." Naruto said, not sure about it.

"Well maybe if you hadn't left so abruptly, we could have talked this out." Cisco said.

"Hey, I was just acting on impulse." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"How about…Impulse?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Hmm, a driving force of momentum…I like it." Naruto said.

"Impulse. Not bad." Cisco said.

"All right. Naruto you're Impulse." Caitlyn said.

"Good, well I got to see Tsunade. I was suppose to be back a while ago." Naruto said as he super sped and left. After Naruto left, Cisco and Caitlyn decided to hang out like the old days and Dr. Wells was doing some research before he left. He was in the main room, drinking a class of scotch as he looked at Barry's costume.

Line Break xxxxx Flashback

 _Dr. Wells was at the computer as everyone else were starting to evacuate and get clear. Dr. Wells had stayed behind to make sure that Cisco and Ronnie had vented the system properly. He then got a call from Cisco. "Dr. Wells, Ronnie did it. He vented the system." Cisco said._

" _Good, Cisco. I'm on my way down." Dr. Wells said as he walked out of the room._

 _He walked through the hallway and stopped at the wall. He pressed a button and the wall opened to reveal a dark room. He walked in and went to the far wall where a console was placed. He walked over and activated the console as two holographic screens appeared. They were real time footage of placed cameras at two locations. One was at a gas station on the outskirts or the city and the other was of a CSI lab at the police station. Dr. Wells watched as Barry tried to close the ceiling hatch in his lab and Naruto ran for cover from the storm. Then a flash of lightning filled the sky and then two bolts of lightning struck, one hitting Barry and the other hitting Naruto._

" _See you soon, boys." Dr. Wells said._

 **End of Chapter 1**

 **Hoped you guys liked the Naruto Flash crossover. I got the idea of doing a version of this one since I'm doing my Naruto Arrow crossover. I thought about giving Naruto other meta-human powers but I liked the idea of Naruto being a speedster. We'll also see some Naruto characters as meta-humans so look forward to that. I hope you guys like it and look forward to more in the future.**

 **Next chapter, a friend of Barry's comes from Starling City and the team faces off against new threats.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Flash, both belong to their respective owners. I'm just a big fan.**


	3. Announcement 2

Hey everyone, it's Choejhulkp9. I know it's been a long time since I've updated my stories. I'm sorry but things were really hectic this year and it couldn't be helped. With school and now finding a job, I've had to prioritize but I'm working on it. With some of my stories, I've come to the decision to put them on hold. It's not a decision I've come to lightly but it's one that I feel is a good idea. Some of my earlier stories got me into writing but looking back they need a lot more work and I've run into some creative issues or issues on interest in general. The stories I'm putting on hold for now are **The Kitsune in Starling City** and **Young Justice Hokage: B01**. Those were some of my earlier stories but I'm putting them on hold indefinitely. Both are stories I love but if I've lost interest in them and with the Naruto/Arrow crossover, I might do a remake of that to adjust for the plot changes with seasons 3-4 and soon 5. With the Young Justice/Naruto story, I've lost interest in that one so if someone would like to adopt that story, please go ahead.

With the Naruto/Arrow story, I've come up with different take on the Naruto/DC TV universe story that will be up so look forward to that.

The other big change is with my Naruto/Game of Thrones story **The Orange Flash in Westeros**. It's a story I love but on looking back, there were a lot of inconsistencies and issues I had with it and I'm not sure where I want to go with it. So I'm putting that story on hold and if someone would like to adopt it go ahead. I'm sorry for fans who wanted another chapter but I can't write a story I have no interest in. The good news for you fans, is that I had been working on a different Naruto/Game of thrones story so I hope you guys like this. It's different from my first one so I hope you guys like it.

Don't worry, I still plan to update my other stories, the problem is that I will not have a lot of time to write and I want these chapters to be good and long for you guys for being patient. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email through this site.

Thanks for being patient, I promise that I'll try and update as soon as I can.


	4. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, here is the second chapter of the Naruto/Flash crossover. Naruto continues to work with Barry and Dr. Wells on working on their speed and finding their limits. On the journey, Naruto continues to grow with Cisco, Caitlin and Joe while meeting a friend of Barry's, a meta-human bomber, and a person from his past with meta-human abilities. Enjoy!**

 _My name is Barry Allen and I'm one of the fastest men alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother get killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Than an accident made me the impossible. To the outside world, I'm an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I used my speed to fight crime and find other people like me. And one day, I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father. I am…the Flash._

 _Before the Particle Accelerator explosion, I had a very set belief of principles on how the world works. Rules like gravity kept people on the ground, the sun heated the planet and theoretical elements were theoretical. After my parents' death, I gave up on my path in science but after the Particle Accelerator explosion, my body changed in ways that I never imagined. It restarted my life and now I know what to do. I will use my speed to help Barry and everyone keep this city safe and make my parents proud. Meet Central City's newest Speedster, Impulse._

 **The Crimson Speedster: Things are getting even weirder**

Central city was calm today, as nothing was going on. It was normal, people went to work, kids were in school and everyone enjoyed their day. For Barry Allen, today was his day off from work. So, what was he doing? He was hanging out with his friends at STAR Labs. Cisco, Caitlin, Dr. Wells, and Naruto who had now become a part of the team. Cisco even had a mannequin set up next to Barry's suit so Naruto could keep his Impulse suit there. Both suits were on display and Cisco even made some new goggles for Naruto to wear in the field. They were designed to handle Naruto's moving at extreme speed, and had some other little goodies like night vision, thermal vision and even an enhanced scope. Plus, he made them larger so they covered up more of his face and he added the lightning bolt headsets to Naruto's suit.

Even though it was Barry's day off, Dr. Wells wanted to keep Barry busy and train him some more in his powers, specifically his ability to multi-task, which took the form of him playing ping-pong with Cisco, OPERATION with Caitlin and chess with Dr. Wells, all at the same time.

Caitlyn tried to get a piece from the game but the buzzer went off. "This game isn't even remotely anatomically correct." Caitlin said in anger as Barry zoomed over and got his piece.

'That's not the point, Dr. Snow." Barry said as he then was playing ping-pong with Cisco.

"Then what is the point?" Caitlin asked.

"To have fun." Barry said.

"And to continue your ongoing training. We're testing the speed of your mind by pushing your ability to multi-task." Dr. Wells said as he made his move on the chess board and Barry zoomed over, moved a pawn, then zoomed back to ping-pong to score on Cisco and then zoomed back to hit his timer.

"I'm waiting on you, Dr. Wells." Barry said with a smile as he went back to playing ping-pong.

"How come Barry gets all the fun while I'm stuck here at a desk doing homework?" Naruto said as everyone looked at him. To his word, he was at a little desk, sitting in a chair with piles of textbooks and note books, working on homework.

"If you're going to want to make your parents proud and help save this city, first things first is to finish your college education." Dr. Wells said.

"I did finish, ok. I was about to graduate before I…I decided to leave. They should have just given me my degree but no. Sorry Naruto, we're sorry for what happened but you did miss some work when you left. Please, I was top of my class." Naruto said as he grumbled and finished the last of his advanced theoretical physics homework.

"So, this should be no problem for you." Caitlin said as she got buzzed again and then Barry zoomed by and took his turn.

"Besides, it's not that bad. You know how many people would love to go back to college." Barry said as he and Cisco kept playing.

"Really, you want to have to deal with school, teachers and homework? I was finished with school. Now I have to finish another semester before they'll give me my degree. Good thing I still qualified for scholarship. Money grabbing idiots." Naruto mumbled as he started his last section of homework, he had to write a 10-page paper for his advanced literature class.

"What are you complaining about? You know how quickly you'll finish all your work with your new powers." Cisco said.

"Not that you should cheat." Caitlin added.

"Is it cheating if you use a calculator to help with your math homework?" Cisco stated.

"No matter how fast I'm able to finish my homework…{ **cough}** 2 minutes **{cough}** …I'll still be in classes until December. This sucks." Naruto said.

"It'll be over before you notice it, Naruto. Trust me." Dr. Wells said.

"I don't know, Dr. Wells. I notice a lot faster than before." Naruto added as he quickly finished his paper. "There, done."

"Did you remember to double check your work?" Caitlin added.

"What are you, my mother?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto." Caitlin said in a commanding tone as Naruto mumbled.

"No." Naruto said with his head down, like a child would when they're scolded by their mother. Cisco and Barry chuckled as they saw how Caitlin mothered Naruto since he was the youngest out of all of them. But only by a few years. Caitlin and Cisco were 26, Barry was 25 while Naruto was 22. He was the baby of the pack.

"Now you just made your homework time go even longer." Caitlin said as she got buzzed again.

"Demon ice queen." Naruto whispered.

"What?" Caitlin asked.

"Nothing." Naruto replied.

"Checkmate." Dr. Wells said as Barry zoomed over to see how he lost.

"Wait, checkmate?" Barry asked.

"I guess you still have a few things left to learn, don't we, Mr. Allen?" Dr. Well asked as their computer went off.

"Armed robbery at Fourth and Kolins." Cisco said.

"Finally, some action." Naruto said as he got up.

"No, you stay and finish your homework. Barry go." Caitlin said as Barry grabbed his suit and left.

"Aw man." Naruto said.

"Back to work, Naruto." Caitlin said as Naruto grumbled and got back to his homework.

"Jeez, remind me never to get on Caitlin's bad side." Cisco whispered to Dr. Wells.

"Likewise." Dr. Wells replied as Naruto kept working.

Barry zoomed to Fourth and Kolins where he saw the group of four robbers that stopped the armored truck with a tow truck. Barry quickly zoomed by and knocked down the robber getting out of the tow truck, he then punched one of the robbers holding one of the guards at gun point. He zoomed around at super speed and then hit the other robber who was guarding the hostage and then he jumped onto the armored truck and knocked the guy who was trying to steal whatever was in the armored truck to the ground.

The guy who tried to steal what was in the armored truck took off his mask as he saw the Streak run by. Then one of the armed robbers shot one of the guards trying to run away. He shot him in the back and got on his bike and left. The Streak zoomed back and went to check on the guard. He saw the bullet had hit the guard's shoulder and he was in pain.

"Where's the nearest hospital?" Barry asked in his comm.

" _St. Andrews. Seven blocks north, two east."_ Caitlin replied.

"Call the ER, and tell them they have an incoming GSW." Barry said as he picked up the guard and took him to the hospital while the robbers left.

Line Break xxxxx

After Barry saved the guard, he went back to his day job. After Caitlin stopped hounding him about his homework, Naruto left for the Shelter. He super sped into his room and put all his books on his desk. He was about to go to the kitchen to make a snack when he stepped on something. He looked down to see an old instant ramen cup.

"Ew." Naruto said as he looked around and his room was a bit of a mess. Food wrappers and empty food containers around, clothes everywhere and the bed was a mess. "Eh, why not do some cleaning." Naruto said as he super sped around the room and in 5 seconds his room was spotless and organized. "Hmm, I don't get why people complain so much."

"Probably because cleaning requires a lot more time than that." Naruto heard as he turned to see Tsunade and Shizune.

"But it's really cool." Shizune said as Naruto chuckled.

"What? Everything with my new powers is a lot easier." Naruto said as he then super sped to the kitchen to get a snack. He came back into the room with a bag of potato chips. He ate some chips when Tsunade ripped the bag from his hands.

"Good. We were worried about you." Tsunade said.

"No need to worry. Dr. Wells is looking after me in case there's anything wrong but I'm fine." Naruto said.

"Good. And I'm glad he convinced you to finish school. Did you finish your homework?" Shizune asked.

"Yes, and before you nag me, Caitlin already filled my nagging quota for the day." Naruto said as Tsunade chuckled.

"Good. Now since you finished your homework, you can go help the kids with their homework." Tsunade said.

"Ok. I can do that." Naruto said as he walked to the door.

"I'm not done. There are other things we need you to do." Tsunade said as she handed Naruto a roll of paper. Naruto took it and unrolled it to reveal at least a 6-foot-long list of chores for him to do. "Given your new speed, this house work will take you a few hours while it would take us days."

"Uh…that's a lot of work." Naruto said as he saw Tsunade wanted him to clean the kitchen, all the bathrooms, mop the floors, paint the shed in the backyard, go food shopping, prepare dinner for the kids, go to the post office to deliver and pick up mail, fix the leaky faucet, fill up the water softener, do the laundry, check the engine on the car and clean out the garage. And that was just the stuff within the first foot of the list.

"It's no problem for a big hero like you. I mean, you save people so doing house chores should be easy for you. Are we going to have a problem?" Tsunade asked with a nice face as she cracked her knuckles.

"No…uh…well I got work to do." Naruto said as he super sped away.

"Ah, I love that kid. His new powers make my life so much easier." Tsunade said as Shizune chuckled.

"Do you think it would be too much to ask him to stop by New York for Pizza?" Shizune asked as Tsunade chuckled.

While Naruto was busy, on the other side of the city the crew that was responsible for the attempted armored car heist were in their hideout, going over the blur that managed to stop them.

"There's been some rumors going around. About some blur going through the city. I heard that there may be more than one of them." One of the robbers said.

"What the hell is it, man?" Another asked.

"Maybe it was a drone. Some kind of secret army thing." Another said as the leader, Leonard Snart looked at his laptop that had a still image taken from the street cameras. It's showed the blur was a man.

"When I was a kid…my grandfather used to take my sister and me to this diner, the Motor Car. Food was for crap but the view was great. Right across from the Central City precinct. I still go there, I still listen to their radios, and I learn their response times. There are 40 banks in Central City…each of them within 60 seconds of police response. That's the advantage of hitting a moving target. Once the armored car called 911…we had 182 seconds before any cop could be on the scene. No one could have been there fast enough to stop us. But something did. And you lost your cool." Snart said to the guy who shot the guard.

"You know the rules. We don't shoot guards or cops, unless it's the only option. We don't need the heat." Snart said.

"The heat? What the hell do you think the blur is, Snart? Right. Screw this, screw you. I'm out." The guy said as he was shot in the head by Snart.

"Well, if you're out, you're out." Snart said. "This blur…and his friend…are men. We're gonna have to up our game."

Line Break xxxxx

Back with Barry, he went to the CCPD only to see that an old friend had stopped by for a visit. Felicity Smoak, he met her when he went tracking an unexplained case in Starling city where he found out that she worked for the Arrow. She was in town to check out how he was doing and so Barry decided to take her to STAR labs and show her how his team did things. They walked into STAR Labs and into the main computer room where Cisco and Caitlin were working on some things.

"And this is where my team monitors the police bands for criminal activity, like anything that happens in the city. Check this out, we've got our own satellite." Barry said.

"I know, I've hacked into it from time to time." Felicity said.

"Rude." Cisco said as he and Caitlin saw Felicity.

"But, it is so great to see you again, Felicity. I'm just wondering how much of our operation she needs to see." Caitlin said.

"Don't worry, I'm good with secrets." Felicity said as a whoosh of air entered the lab and they saw Naruto in his Impulse costume holding a lot of takeout and Kurama in the other arm. Kurama jumped out of his arms and jumped onto a chair and licked his fur. Naruto had his back to them as he put the takeout on a table and took his goggles off.

"Sorry, I'm late. Stopped a mugging before I got back. But don't worry I got your food. Cisco, I got your double bacon belly buster with fries and a soda. Caitlin, your normal belly buster with fries and a diet soda. I got Dr. Wells his deluxe belly burger with fries and shake, and Barry and I several belly burgers." Naruto said as he turned around and saw everyone looking at him with a new girl.

"Huh, that's new." Felicity said.

"Uh…" Naruto said as he quickly put his mask on. "Who are you?"

"It's ok, Naruto. She's a friend. Felicity Smoak, meet Naruto Namikaze, our newest speedster." Barry said.

"Wow, another speedster. Hi." Felicity said as she shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. How does she know you guys?" Naruto asked as he began to take off his suit to wear the normal clothes he had underneath.

"She's an old friend. She visited Barry when he was in his coma." Cisco said.

"Ah, but aren't you guys' kind of worried about her seeing all this?" Naruto asked.

"It's ok, I'm really good at keeping secrets." Felicity said.

"Yeah, Felicity works with the Arrow." Barry said.

"Sweet!" Cisco and Naruto said as they high-fived.

"And you apparently are not good at keeping secrets." Felicity told Barry as Barry realized his mistake.

"This all makes sense; you know who the Arrow is." Cisco said.

"Wait, Barry do you know who the Arrow is?" Naruto asked as he, Caitlin and Cisco were curious.

"Uh…" Barry said as he shook his head no.

"Let's just say that my team has a similar set up, but with more pointy objects." Felicity said.

"Yip." They heard as Kurama walked over and nuzzled his leg against Felicity's leg.

"Oh, who's the cutie?" Felicity asked.

"My pet, fox. Kurama. He was kind of bored at home so I brought him here. Maybe he could be our team's mascot?" Naruto joked as Caitlin picked him up and she and Felicity were gushing over him.

"He walks on four legs and is furry but he gets all the attention from the ladies." Cisco said as Naruto and Barry chuckled.

"Welcome Ms. Smoak." They heard as they saw Dr. Wells enter.

"Dr. Well? The Dr. Wells." Felicity said.

"Please, call me Harrison, Felicity." Dr. Wells said.

"You know who I am?" Felicity asked.

"Ranked second at the National Informative Technology competition at age 19. Graduated MIT with a master's degree in cyber security and computer sciences. I know who you are. I keep an eye out for promising talent in scientific fields. That's what brought me Cisco and Caitlin. And I foresaw…great things from you." Dr. Wells said.

"Speaking of great things…wanna see something cool?" Barry asked as Felicity nodded.

"Come on." Barry said as they moved to the room with Cisco's treadmill and Barry showed Felicity his speed in action. Dr. Wells, Naruto, Kurama, Felicity, Caitlin and Cisco were in the observation room while Barry ran on the treadmill at super speed, averaging around about 380 mph.

"How fast can he run?" Felicity asked.

"Barry and Naruto haven't reached their top speeds, theoretically speaking." Dr. Wells said.

"I think when we fought the Mist we maxed out at about 370 miles per hour, give or take." Naruto said.

"The mist?" Felicity asked.

"Metahuman psycho criminal who kills his victims by turning into poison mist." Cisco said.

"Oh." Felicity replied. "The weirdest things we've faced would be super strengths mirakuru soldiers and Deathstroke."

"Cool." Naruto said as they all looked at him. "I mean, not cool. Let's go back to watching Barry."

"So, is he really ok?" Felicity asked.

"His heart rate and vitals are in normal range for him." Caitlin said.

"No, I mean, the lightning bolt changed him. Do any of you really know how much?" Felicity asked.

"We know…a fair amount." Cisco said.

"If everything about him is sped up, is he gonna age faster? What would happen if he ran too fast? Would he just be running and then poof, he's dust in a red costume?" Felicity asked, concerned about Barry.

"Everything we do here at STAR labs, is to protect Barry Allen. Trust us, Felicity, he is in very good hands here." Dr. Wells said.

"Me too. Barry's not the only speedster. Don't want to be left out." Naruto said as they chuckled.

"Wanna see how fast I can run backwards?!" Barry shouted as they saw him run backwards but after two seconds he flew off the treadmill and hit the wall.

"Ow." Naruto said as Felicity looked concerned.

"Don't worry, they heal fast too." Caitlin said.

While Barry and the group were with Felicity at STAR labs, Joe was with Eddie at the Central City Museum staking out the museum for Leonard Snart. They sat in their squad car across the street from the museum, looking for anything suspicious.

"Ah, I don't get it. Why would Snart come here?" Eddie asked.

"Snart's been deterred before but once he goes after something, he doesn't stop till he gets it, ever." Joe said as he looked around and Eddie readied himself to speak.

"Joe, I want you to know that I'm really serious about Iris. She's an amazing woman and I can really see myself…" "Did I ever tell you about that wild night I had my last day of college?" Joe said, interrupting Eddie.

"I don't think so, no." Eddie replied.

"Not even after we've kicked back a few beers after work?" Joe asked.

"We've never done that." Eddie said.

"Oh right. Those are things I do with my friends. And since we've never done those things, we ain't friends. So, there's absolutely no reason I need to hear about your dating life." Joe said.

"I just don't want my personal relationship with your daughter to affect our working relationship." Eddie said.

"It ain't about you Eddie. It's about her. So as long as you don't talk about you and her, we will be cool." Joe said as he went back to watching over the museum.

"Maybe we should just listen to the radio." Eddie said as he turned the radio on to get rid of the awkward silence. He turned it on and station played Percy Sledge's _When a man loves a woman._ He changed it to the next station and Marvin Gaye's _Let's get it on_ started to play, which made the situation even more awkward so Eddie shut the radio off. "Quiet is good."

While Joe and Eddie were busy trying to find Snart, unaware that he managed to acquire something that would give him a leg up on the police and the speedsters, Barry was with Felicity showing her the sights. While they were doing that, Naruto went back to the shelter to finish all the chores on that list which took him about an hour. Naruto needed to finish those chores of Tsunade would kill him. After that, Naruto wanted to do some training.

Naruto sped back to STAR labs to put on his boots and do some speed training. He sat on the treadmill and strapped on his boots when Kurama came walking in.

"Hey, buddy. I'm going to need you to watch the monitors and shut the treadmill down should something happen." Naruto said as he picked up Kurama and walked into the control room. He put him down on a chair and turned on the monitors. "Now all you have to do, is hit that red button if I say so. And don't even think of messing me up…I know you're thinking about it." Naruto said as he missed Kurama smirk.

Naruto walked back to the treadmill and turned it on. He then started off at a slow pace of about 100 miles and then kicked it up to 300 miles per hour. Naruto kept running and running as fast as he could, as the speedometer would now flicker between 380 mph.

"Come on…come on…" Naruto said to himself as he kept pushing himself to try and find his fastest he could go. As Naruto was training, Dr. Wells wheeled into the control booth to see Kurama sitting on one of the chairs. He pets the fox on the head and looked at Naruto training himself, running as fast as he could push his body. The speedometer clocked his current speed at about 400 mph.

"It seems some things never changed. He's as determined as ever…. like he always has been." Wells said as he took off his glasses and looked at Naruto training. As Naruto was running, Wells smiled as he saw the flashes and sparks of white and crimson lightning that seemed to generate at a faster pace and spark around Naruto's body faster as he concentrated on his speed.

"Faster…faster…" Wells whispered as he saw Naruto was accessing his powers very well.

"Guys!" Naruto heard as he slowed down and stopped to see Caitlin walk in. "Bank Robbery at the Central City national branch." Caitlin said.

"I'm on it." Naruto said as he super sped to his suit and left to the bank.

The bank robbers were currently emptying the cash registers and holding the main executive at gun point as he opened the large safe in the back. The group of 7 robbers all had assault rifles and masks to cover their faces with large bags slung over their shoulders. Three were on crowd control, three were emptying the cash in the teller cash registers and the leader was holding his gun to the executive's head as he used his key to open the vault door.

"Guys, cops here in two minutes!" One of the robbers holding the crowd hostage shouted as he looked at his watch.

"You know the drill!" The leader said as one of the robbers at crowd control walked over to the door. He opened his bag and took out some C4 charges and began arming them. Then suddenly a whoosh of air entered the bank as he was knocked out and hit against the wall. The robbers turned to see what happened and saw their buddy get knocked out but then the three robbers by the tellers were all dragged away, their guns taken and tied together using one of the aisle red ropes in the bank. Then the two robbers in crowd control were knocked out and sat on the bank couches, their guns taken and hands zip-cuffed. The leader was about to shoot the executive and pulled the trigger but the executive was gone and his bullet hit the safe. The leader was then knocked against the safe, his gun taken and his hands tied to the safe. The hostages in the bank all saw this happen in a flash and whoosh of air and then saw a man in a white and orange suit wearing goggles slid to a stop.

"Ha, that was easy." Impulse said.

"Wait, they had bombs!" One of the hostages shouted as Naruto saw them and the bombs had been turned on. The robber must have turned them on but wasn't able to set a long enough timer and they were ticking down at 30 seconds.

"Crap!" Impulse said as he ran forward grabbed the bombs, ran outside the bank and threw them as high as he could into the air. The bombs exploded as bystanders shouted in fright and hit the ground as the large explosion caused a large boom but the buildings and people were safe. The cops arrived on the scene, seeing the explosion in the air and the guy in the suit. They stopped outside the bank and took out their weapons as the people in the streets began taking out their phones and began recording everything that was happening.

Impulse ran into the bank and began sitting the robbers and their guns outside the bank for the police. The cops saw what happened in a blur of orange and white lighting as the white and orange blur zoomed in and out of the bank three times and the robbers were all placed next to each other, sitting on the ground with Impulse right beside him.

"They're all set for you and the hostages are ok. Catch you later!" Impulse shouted as he super sped away as the cops began to arrest the robbers and the bystanders hit social media with the videos and images of the speedster.

Naruto arrived back in STAR labs as Cisco, Caitlin and Dr. Wells were at the computers. "7 robbers are on their way to jail!" Naruto shouted as he walked in. "Man, that was fun!"

"Nicely done, Naruto." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, taking out those robbers and those bombs. Awesome!" Cisco said.

"But I'm not so sure about standing for a photo shoot." Caitlin said as she pulled up some blurred images of him at the bank. They were blurry because Naruto was so fast that they couldn't get a clear image except for a basic outline, color scheme and the lightning trail.

"I have to agree with Caitlin. Remaining unseen is always the best scenario with your powers." Dr. Wells said.

"Relax, guys no one saw me. The goggles covered my face and the images are too blurry to clear up. No one will uncover who I am." Naruto said.

"Yeah, he was moving too fast. I clocked the speed you went, today was the fastest you went. 410 miles per hour." Cisco said.

"Excellent work." Dr. Wells said with a smile.

"If I went that fast and the blurry picture is the best they could get, I don't feel worried about being uncovered." Naruto said with a smile. His phone then went off as he saw it was a text from Shizune to run an errand for food. They wanted pizza…from New York. "Uh…just out of curiosity, how far is it from here to New York and how long would it take to get there?"

Line Break xxxxx

The next day, Naruto was back at Hudson university going to his classes. He had his advanced theoretical physics class, taught by none other than Professor Martin Stein, one of the most prominent and brilliant minds of the world and someone that Naruto admired like Dr. Wells. Naruto had taken several of Martin Stein's classes during his years at Hudson University and whenever Naruto talked with the Professor, he felt that the Professor was impressed with his intellect…at least he hoped. If Naruto had stayed on for his senior year, he would have requested to be one of Martin Stein's lab assistants but fate had another plan.

Naruto sat down in class with the one other student who had qualified and was smart enough for Professor Stein's class. He sat down in his seat and opened Stein's book to the chapter on theoretical applications of nuclear energy when another one of the theoretical physics teachers walked into class.

"Hello, students. Could you please open your book to page 134?" The professor said.

"Excuse me, where's Professor Stein?" Naruto asked.

"Professor Stein…is unfortunately missing. During the incident 10 months ago, and we haven't heard from him since." The professor said as he began writing down notes on the board, leaving Naruto to wonder if Professor Stein was just missing or if he was dead.

The class continued with the Professor just following the book and lesson plan that Professor Stein had set up but Naruto felt the professor was less knowledgeable than Professor Stein. Naruto went to the dining hall after his class and stuffed himself at the pizza bar while also working on his dissertation on the theoretical application of hyper-active atomic hydrogen particles for energy use. It was based on one of his dad's old theoretical papers that Naruto wanted to pursue. Naruto was close to working on the theory that if a stable hydrogen particle isotope was created in the right conditions, it could provide renewable and sustainable energy. It could help solve the world's energy crisis if it proved correct and he could push it far enough.

Naruto kept working when he felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out and saw it was Barry. "Hey Barry." Naruto said.

" _Naruto, we got a sighting of Snart. He's at the museum."_ Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"I'm on my way." Naruto said as he quickly put his books and laptop away. He then ran behind a building, made sure he wasn't seen and then super sped to STAR labs to get his suit and then to the museum.

Naruto had changed as he was running to the museum to help Barry stop Snart. He zoomed through the streets to see the road in front of a theater covered in ice and Joe run in. He ran into the theater and stopped to see the Flash save Joe but get hit by Snart's gun which fired some kind of ice blast. Snart smiled seeing that he hit the mysterious blur that stopped him before but then looked at the entrance doors and saw some guy dressed in a suit.

Naruto turned to Snart and saw Snart aim his gun at civilians so he quickly ran and got those civilians out of the way. Snart fired his gun and saw a blur saved the civilians as the freeze blast froze part of a wall. Snart looked behind him to see the man in the suit put the civilians near the emergency exit.

"Quickly, go!" Impulse shouted as they ran. Impulse then turned to run at Snart but was shocked to see a freeze blast right in front of him and hit him in the leg. "ARGH!"

Impulse groaned as the impact of the freeze blast threw him off his feet and onto the ground. Snart fired another blast as the Flash super sped to Impulse, saved him, and put him next to Joe.

"You ok?" Joe asked as he helped Naruto sit down.

"My leg! I can't feel it." Naruto said as he and Joe saw that his right leg had been covered in a sheet of ice from the knee down.

"Time for a test run! Let's see how fast you are!" They heard Snart shout as he began firing his freeze gun at civilians but the Flash super sped around the theater and got them to safety.

"Come on!" Joe said as he grabbed Naruto's arm, hoisted him up and helped him to one of the emergency exits while Barry saved the civilians.

Barry ran and saved several groups of civilians from being hit but he was running a lot slower and getting more tired after being hit by that freeze blast. Snart then fired a freeze blast at one of the security guards in the theater as Barry ran to save him. He was running as fast as he could, right alongside the freeze blast but wasn't fast enough to stop it.

The freeze blast hit the security guard and killed him. "NO!" Barry shouted as he saw the effects of Snart's gun. The guard was killed, with his body black like severe frost bite. Barry was blaming himself for not going fast enough and letting someone die which gave Snart the opportunity to escape.

The police soon arrived so Barry ran out and helped Naruto back to STAR labs. Felicity, Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco saw Barry super speed back into the lab helping Naruto who had his leg semi-frozen.

"Caitlin, help." Barry said as she helped take Naruto.

"I got him." Caitlin said as she helped Naruto onto a chair.

"Argh!" Naruto groaned as he felt like his right leg had gone numb and was feeling severe frost bite.

"Are you ok?" Dr. Wells asked as he wheeled over and Naruto took off his mask.

"Peachy. Just a little numb." Naruto groaned as Cisco and Felicity brought over a space heater to help melt the ice off of Naruto's leg while Caitlin turned on the scanners. "You should look at Barry too. He got hit, too."

"Not as bad as you." Barry said as Felicity helped him out of his suit. "Arg!" Barry groaned as he grabbed his side.

"But still bad. Come on." Felicity said as she helped him onto a gurney.

Barry sat down as Caitlin turned on the scanners to check Barry's and Naruto's injuries. Barry lifted his shirt and everyone saw the bad injury, which looked a really bad case of frostbite.

"Wow, that doesn't look so good." Felicity said as Caitlin brought over a warm towel to help.

"Here, this should help." Caitlin said as she dabbed the injury, causing Barry to groan and grunt.

"Thanks." Barry said as Caitlin nodded. "Naruto, how you doing?"

"Not bad." Naruto said as he groaned in discomfort. His leg had de-frosted and the ice was gone but it felt extremely numb and tender. Naruto removed his shoe and rolled up his pants to see that his leg was just like Barry's frostbite wound. "Geez."

"That doesn't look so good." Felicity said as she brought over another warm towel.

"Well, I'm still getting some feelings in my leg and feet. That's a good sign." Naruto said.

"We're just glad you're ok." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled. "What happened?"

"Joe had called in a police emergency. Snart was at the museum. We tried to stop him, he opened fire." Barry said.

"Saved some civilians but we got hit. With what, I have no idea." Naruto said.

"Yeah, I've never seen anything like this except from a really bade case of frostbite." Felicity said as she used her tablet to pull up some information on Snart.

"Well, that's what it's presenting itself to look like." Caitlin said as the scans she had done brought up images of Barry's and Naruto's blood vessels that were incased in ice. "It's presenting itself like 3rd degree frostbite."

"I thought they had hyper healing?" Felicity said.

"It's been slowed. If your cells weren't regenerating at the rate they are your blood vessels would have been frozen solid, and the nerve damage would have been permanent. You're both lucky to be alive." Caitlin said.

"Snart wasn't another meta-human. He had some kind of gun. It shot this blast and froze things. It slowed me down. Enough that I wasn't in time to save someone." Barry said.

"According to his records, Snart didn't even bother to finish high school. So how did he build a handheld high-tech snow machine?" Felicity asked.

"STAR Labs built the Cold Gun." Dr. Wells said as Naruto and Barry looked at him.

"Dr. Wells and Caitlin had nothing to do with this. I built the gun." Cisco said as Naruto and Barry looked at him.

"Why?" Barry asked.

"Because speed and cold are opposites. Temperature is measured by how quickly the atoms of something are oscillating. The faster they are, the hotter it is. When things are cold, they're slower on the atomic level. When there's no movement, it's called—""Absolute zero." Naruto said, finishing Cisco's sentence.

"Yeah. I designed a compact cryo-engine to achieve absolute zero. I built it to stop you two." Cisco said as Naruto and Barry looked at him. "I didn't know who you guys were then. I mean, you guys could have been psychos like Martin or Nimbus? Or what if Naruto was in fact the man in yellow?"

"But I wasn't." Naruto said.

"I know that now." Cisco said.

"We built the entire structure you guys are standing in to do good, and it blew up. In the wake of that, you can understand why Cisco would wanna be prepared for the worse." Caitlin said.

"I can understand that, but what I can't understand is why you didn't tell me or Naruto what you did. I mean, after all we've been through I thought you trusted me. I thought we were friends?!" Barry said.

"We are, Barry." Cisco replied.

"If you had just told me I could have been prepared. But instead someone died tonight." Barry said.

"And I have to live with that?" Cisco asked.

"No, Cisco. We all do." Barry said as he left.

Line Break xxxxx

After a few hours of resting and getting checked out by Caitlin, Naruto got back the feeling in his leg and his frostbite was healing nicely. Naruto decided to stick around and rest a bit more before heading back to the shelter. He was sitting down in a chair, drinking some soda as he looked at his Impulse suit.

"Something on your mind, Naruto?" Naruto heard as he turned to see Dr. Wells and Cisco enter the room.

"No, Dr. Wells. Just thinking." Naruto said.

"Oh, about what?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Just about recent events." Naruto said as he exhaled and turned in his chair. "Cisco, look. I get why you made the gun and I'm not mad."

"You're not?" Cisco asked.

"No. Still a bit cold but Caitlin said that's normal so I'm fine." Naruto joked as Dr. Wells chuckled. "If I was in your position, I probably would have done the same thing."

"Yeah, well I still should have told you guys about the guns." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"The important thing is that you and Barry are safe and Cisco won't do something like this again." Dr. Wells said.

"Yes, Dr. Wells." Cisco said.

"Still, managing to create a gun that can fire ice at absolute zero is so cool. I would have loved to have helped you build it." Naruto said as Cisco chuckled.

"Yeah it was. And made homemade ice-cream almost instantly. Though the brain freeze sucked." Cisco joked as Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah, still I would have loved to see the specs on that thing. The engine control unit on that to equalize the temperature and output must have…" Naruto said as he stopped to think.

"What is it?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Cisco, the engine control unit on the gun, its job is to regulate the air to fuel ratio output to prevent the gun's fluid from overflowing, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah." Cisco replied.

"Doesn't an ECU need regular updates to keep functioning and maintain efficiency?" Naruto asked as Cisco and Dr. Wells knew he was right.

"If that ECU is receiving wireless updates from STAR Labs, then— ""We can track it." Dr. Wells said as Naruto and Cisco got to work and Dr. Wells called everybody to the room.

"What's going on?" Barry asked.

"We think we found a way to track Captain Cold." Cisco said.

"You've got to stop naming these guys." Caitlin said.

"Barry." Naruto said as Barry looked at him and exhaled.

"How?" Barry asked.

"It was actually Naruto that got the idea. You see, the gun has an engine control unit to help regulate the air to fuel ratio and to prevent the gun's sub-cold fluid from overflowing and exploding." Cisco said.

"Ok." Barry said.

"The ECU will receive regular wireless updates from STAR labs to maintain efficiency. If we can boost the city using Central City's network, and send a false update, we can track Snart." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"How long with that take?" Barry asked.

"Working as fast as we can to hack into the CCN, maybe 20 minutes." Naruto said.

"I can do it in less than one. When it comes to hacking, I'm the fastest woman alive." Felicity said as she sat down at a desk with her laptop. She then cracked her figured but groaned. "Ow, that was not as badass as I pictured."

Felicity got to work hacking into the city's network and like she said it look less than a minute. "All right, I'm in." Felicity said.

"Nice." Naruto said.

"All right, I'm sending the updates." Cisco said. "We're connected.

"The network is now triangulating the location." Naruto said as the computer took a second. "Got it. He's heading north on Layton towards the train station."

"If he's leaving, it would appear that Mr. Snart may have gotten what he came for." Dr. Wells said as Barry quickly suited up.

"See, Barry. When we work together there is nothing we can't do." Cisco said as he saw Barry turn on his ear piece. "Whoa, dude how are we supposed to talk?"

"I don't feel like talking right now." Barry said as he left. Naruto then ran over to his suit.

"Naruto!" Naruto turned to Dr. Wells. "Be careful."

"Always." Naruto said as he suited up and sped after Barry.

They sped to the train station and passed a police car parked out front. They ran onto the platforms and saw a leaving train with Joe and Eddie stuck at the platform, the train that Snart got on so Naruto and Barry sped past them and after the train.

Snart was on the train and walking through one of the train cars when Barry smashed through the window and cut him off. Snart pointed his gun at Barry but then he heard another crash and saw another man behind him.

"There's nowhere to run." The Flash said.

"I knew there was two of you. I didn't see you properly before. Your moms know you are out past your bed times?" Snart asked.

"Give it up, Snart. You can't escape." Impulse said.

"If you wanted to get away, you should've taken something faster than a train." Flash said.

"That's if I wanted to get away. I've seen your weakness. At the armored car, then at the theater. See, while you're busy saving everybody, I'll be busy saving myself." Snart said as he fired his gun at the floor, which seeped through and froze the train wheels causing the train to rock and swerve.

Naruto and Barry held on as the passengers screamed in terror and Snart just chuckled. He went to the door and popped it open. "Good luck with that!" Snart shouted as he jumped.

The train kept rocking and moving and soon all the train carts were off the tracks and began to flip around. Naruto and Barry held onto the railings as they saw the train cart start to flip on its side but to them it was all happening very slowly as they saw shards of glass break off from the windows and the civilians spin in the air. Naruto and Barry focused and concentrated as small bolts of lightning flashed in their eyes and they moved faster than they ever have before to save everyone.

They moved in blurs of yellow and orange/white lightning as they grabbed the civilians and moved them out of the train cars and put them safely on the ground away from the train. They moved quickly and efficiently as they checked every single train car for anyone they missed and made sure they got everyone to safety and the train cars crashed and flipped into one another. Naruto grabbed the last civilian, a woman and put her with the others and then ran with Barry to avoid being squished by a train car and they barely managed to make it. They hit the ground in exhaustion as they nearly escaped being squished like pancakes.

Naruto got on his knees when he was blasted in the chest by an ice blast and Barry got blasted in the back. "ARH!" Impulse shouted as they saw Snart walk up to them.

"Pretty fast, boys. But not fast enough. Thank you." Snart said.

"For what?" Flash asked.

"You forced me to up my game. Not only with this gun but with how I thing about a job. It's been educational." Snart said.

"Drop it!" He heard someone say and turned to see three people walk up behind him and one was carrying a large gun with a huge tank. "This is a prototype cold gun, four times the size, four times the power."

"I was wondering who you were talking to." Snart said.

"Hey, unless you wanna taste your own medicine, I'd back the hell up." Cisco warned him.

"Your hands are shaking. You've never killed anyone." Snart said.

"There's a first time for everything, Captain Cold." Cisco warned him as Snart chuckled. "I will shoot you."

Snart looked at the Flash and Impusle before smirking. "You win, kid." Snart said as he turned around and walked away.

"Hey, leave the diamond!" Cisco shouted.

"Don't push your luck." Snart said as he left.

Cisco then pressed the off switch on the gun as Caitlin and Felicity dropped the large tank. "I couldn't shoot him if I wanted to. This is actually the STAR labs vacuum cleaner." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

Felicity ran over to help Barry and Naruto as they sat up and the ice around them broke. Naruto and Barry smiled at Cisco who just managed to save their butts. "Thanks you." Barry said as Cisco smiled and shook his hand.

Barry called Joe and the CCPD about the train derailment, luckily no one was killed so that was a plus. After that, they went back to STAR Labs where Caitlin looked over Naruto and Barry just to make sure they were ok but they were fine. Cisco was on the computer, trying to track down Snart.

"We've been trying to track Snart…but he must've disconnected the signal somehow." Cisco said.

"We'll find him, Cisco. Together." Barry said as he and Cisco smiled.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting several cups of hot chocolate and then settling down to finish my homework. A sentence I'd never thought I'd have to say anymore." Naruto joked as Cisco and Barry chuckled. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Naruto super sped out of STAR labs and back home while Barry looked around and saw Felicity walking up. "You have a great team here, Barry. Speaking of teams…I should get back to mine." Felicity said as Barry nodded.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Smoak. Please extend a hello to the Arrow for us." Dr. Wells said.

"I will." Felicity replied.

"Bye Felicity." Barry said.

"Bye Barry." She replied as they hugged goodbye.

"She is a remarkable woman." Dr. Wells said as Barry smiled.

"Yeah, she is." Barry said as Felicity left.

Dr. Wells had one more potent conversation with Cisco about the dangers of his actions and to never do something like that again. Barry said goodbye to one Felicity one more time on her train back to Starling City. Naruto went back to the shelter to quickly finish his homework and then got some sleep. He was blissfully unaware of the old foe he would face tomorrow.

Line Break xxxxx

The next day, Naruto woke up bright and early to head to his morning classes. He had two early classes and after he finished his work for those classes, he had the rest of the day and tomorrow off. Naruto decided to head to the mall to get some new sneakers since his old ones were worn out. Naruto was in the mall, went to Foot Locker and got himself a new pair of shoes. He was heading to the food court when he heard a commotion from the jewelry store on the ground floor. He heard loud crashes and things breaking along with gun shots.

Naruto ran down the escalator, pushing past the crowd of people running for their lives and got to the ground floor. He ran through the east wing and saw a large amount of broken glass all over the floor along with mall stands knocked over, garbage cans smashed to pieces and several mall security guards and cops on the floor. Some cops were not moving while some were groaning on the ground. Naruto ran over to one cop who was groaning in pain as the cop held his stomach.

"It's ok. What happened?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know…one guy…attacked us." The cop said as Naruto called 911 and told them about the officers that were down and needed help. Naruto then looked at the store the cops were outside of and it was an expensive jewelry store. All the displays were smashed with almost all the merchandise gone. He looked around to see if he could figure out where the thief went but all he saw was a crowd of people taking cover in other stores and the air duct of the jewelry store smashed open.

Naruto helped the injured cops and security guards as best as he could and helped them a lot since Tsunade and Shizune had taught him some first aid. He made a make-shift sling for a cop's broken arm, a make-shift bandage for a gunshot wound and rested everyone against a bench. The guards were all suffering serious muscle and tissue damage so Naruto couldn't do much.

Luckily, the cops soon arrived and helped take care of the wounded officers. The paramedics came after them and announced two of the officers were dead while the others would need to go to the hospital for treatment. Naruto was talking to one of the officers about what happened when he saw Joe and his partner arrive.

"I'll take it from here, Jones." Joe said as Officer Jones walked away. "Hey, Naruto.

"Hey, Joe." Naruto replied.

"This is my partner, Eddie Thawne." Joe said as Thawne and Naruto shook hands. "Naruto's a friend of Barry's from STAR Labs."

"Really, you look a little young." Thawne said as Naruto chuckled.

"I get that a lot. Glad you guys made it." Naruto said.

"Well with two cops' dead, Captain Singh's gonna make this top priority. Did you see what happened?" Joe asked.

"No. I just heard a loud crash and some gun shots and ran down to see what happened. The store was smashed; the cops were on the ground and whoever did this was gone and made off with the jewels." Naruto said as Joe nodded.

"Eddie, coordinate with the officers and get a description of our killer and then put out an APB." Joe said as Thawne nodded and walked away while Joe and Naruto excused themselves.

"You ran down here?" Joe asked.

"I couldn't use my speed in the mall, it was too crowded but something seemed off. Even at my normal speed, I should have made it down here to see whoever did this but the person was long gone. And how he took out all these cops and the way everything around here was smashed. I don't think our killer is exactly…normal." Naruto said as Joe nodded.

"Just great. That's gonna make things a lot more complicated." Joe said as they saw Barry arrived while the Paramedics left with the injured cops.

"Hey, guys." Barry said as he walked up to them.

"Hey, Barr." Joe said.

"Glad you could make it." Naruto said.

"Yeah. Well, it's a good thing you were here." Barry said to Naruto.

"Yeah, but not exactly how I imagined my day off to go." Naruto said as Barry chuckled and began collecting evidence. Naruto had to stay back since he wasn't CCPD but Joe and Barry would keep him filled in. Barry did his analysis of the crime scene and analyzed the bodies of the dead cops.

"Barr, what do we got?" Joe asked.

"Not exactly sure but I think Naruto's right. Our killer might be a meta-human." Barry said as he walked over to the first dead body. "Officer Lee over here, Petechia on his face in the whites of his eyes and this bruising around the neck indicated the killer put him in a choke hold."

"So he was strangled?" Joe asked.

"No, the cause of death was this pierce in his back." Barry said as he rolled Officer Lee over and showed Joe and very shallow but deep stab wound in Lee's back. "It had enough force to break skin and bone and start to come out through the other side."

"Damn, no knife can do that." Joe said.

"I'm guessing the killer put Officer Lee in a choke hold as the others gathered around. He then killed him before moving to his next victim, Officer Donner." Barry said as they moved over to his body. Joe noticed the weird scarring over his eyes and mouth like someone held a blow torch to him.

"Ugh, what did that?" Joe asked.

"The scarring is consistent to exposure from heat or radiation. It's also a side effect of mace spray but none of the cops or guards were carrying mace. His death seems to be a broken neck but there are some other discrepancies I'll need to examine back at the lab. The one thing I'm confident about is that how close the guards were and how fast this was all done, our killer is definitely a meta-human." Barry said.

"All right, head back to the station and get all the evidence. Then head to STAR Labs. If this is a meta-human, then we're gonna need some help." Joe said as Barry nodded.

Line Break xxxxx

After Naruto finished up with the police, he grabbed some Big Belly Burger for a snack and super sped back to STAR Labs to inform Dr. Wells, Cisco, and Caitlin that there could be another meta-human they would need to deal with. Naruto walked into the cortex to see Cisco working in the lab and Caitlin and Dr. Wells in the med-bay.

"Dr. Wells." Naruto said as Dr. Wells said him and wheeled over.

"Afternoon." Dr. Wells said with a smile.

"Well, I think we got another case to work on. There was a murder/robbery at the mall. The thief got away with a store full of precious jewelry." Naruto said.

"Wow." Caitlin said.

"Yeah. I was at the mall and when I got there, the thief was gone, two cops were dead and pretty much all the stuff in the store was gone. And whoever did this was fast. Even though I didn't use my speed, I still should have seen the thief and the witnesses didn't see much either." Naruto said.

"Looks like we got a thief who's seen the Town to many times." Cisco said.

"Naruto, are you sure about this? It's possible this was just a well-prepared thief." Dr. Wells said.

"And the way the cops were killed raised an eyebrow. Barry thinks the same. He should be here soon." Naruto said.

"Do you think it was another speedster?" Caitlin asked.

"It's possible. But the witnesses still should have seen a blur if it was a speedster." Naruto said.

"Maybe he was invisible." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

"That's not possible. **[Chuckles]** That's not possible, right Dr. Wells?" Naruto asked as Dr. Wells shrugged.

"I think that with what we've seen in the past month, that anything is possible." Dr. Wells said.

"Well how could this thief turn invisible and go full Hollow man?" Cisco asked.

"Maybe our thief has chromophores that allow him to change the color of his skin? It's how cuttlefish blend into their environments." Naruto said.

"It's a possibility. The Particle Accelerator Explosion might have altered his genetic makeup so that our thief could alter the color of his skin. There has been research into doing that by splicing the DNA of certain animals but not to this extent that it would create invisibility." Dr. Wells said.

"Well if the guy wants to fence his jewels, maybe we can use that to track him down. Jewels from the store will most likely have serial numbers on them." Naruto said.

"Right, Cisco get to work on that. Naruto, come. It's time for another training session." Dr. Wells said as Naruto super sped into his workout clothes. Dr. Wells sat in the observation booth while Naruto got on the treadmill and began running. Naruto kicked up as fast as he could and his now top speed was about 420 miles per hour.

Dr. Wells monitored Naruto's progress on the computers as he saw that Naruto had progressed tremendously since the fight with Snart. "That's good, Naruto. Concentrate. Come on, I know you can go faster." Dr. Wells said over the speaker as Naruto concentrated. His eyes flashed with sparks of electricity as he concentrated. He took deep breaths and felt the electricity coursing through his body, like some kind of force.

"Come on, Naruto! Push it!" Naruto shouted as he kicked it up and notch. Dr. Wells smiled as he saw Naruto begin to tap into the speed force with his speed kicking up to 500 miles per hour.

Naruto kept running and running when all of a sudden, he was hit with a weird feeling. He got a glimpse of three speedsters running through the city with three trails of lightning behind them. He then got another glimpse of himself in a different white, black, and red suit racing against a speedster with blue lightning. He then got a glimpse of something that looked like a dementor from Harry Potter and that caused him to stop suddenly which was a bad decision.

Naruto's sudden stop caused him to fly off the treadmill and smash into the cushions on the wall. Naruto groaned in pain as he definitely felt some of his ribs bruise or fracture. "Arghhh…" Naruto groaned in pain as he sat up and grabbed his ribs while Dr. Wells came over and Caitlin and Cisco ran into the room.

"Naruto, are you ok?" Caitlin asked as she knelt to help him.

"Yeah, but I think I fractured some ribs." Naruto groaned as Cisco helped him up and over to the med bay.

Caitlin sat him down on the gurney as she did a quick x-ray and saw that Naruto had some fractured ribs but they would heal in an hour so she wrapped his torso to help with the pain. "You've got 6 fractured ribs and a bit of a concussion but you should fine in an hour." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled.

"Thanks, Caitlin." Naruto said as she got back to helping Cisco as Dr. Wells came over. "Glad that accelerated healing comes with the super speed."

"What happened, Naruto? You were doing fine and then something caused you to stop suddenly." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah…I, uh…I was feeling light headed. Guess I didn't get enough to eat." Naruto said as Dr. Wells chuckled and handed him one of the high calorie energy bars. "Thanks."

"Guess you didn't have enough to eat at the mall, huh?" Dr. Wells asked with a chuckled.

"Yeah, well the only downside to having super speed now is the massive metabolism I have. It's not exactly perfect for someone on a budget." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. We always do." Dr. Wells said as they saw Barry walk into the cortex.

"Hey, guys." Barry said as Dr. Wells came over and Naruto walked over with an ice pack on his ribs.

"Mr. Allen. So, was Naruto's hunch, right? Are we dealing with another meta-human?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Definitely. The tests I ran back at the lab and the coroner's reports show a lot of inconsistencies and variables that aren't normal." Barry said as he held up a file.

"So, what do we got? Do we have an invisible man?" Cisco asked, excited and curious.

"No, I don't think so. The wounded officers and guards distinctly remembered seeing a guy in a hoodie but he was fast and agile, way more than a normal human could move. To take out that many guards in that short amount of time and the ways they were killed." Barry said as Naruto looked over the file with Cisco and Caitlin looking over his shoulders.

"Damn, that's one hell of a stab wound." Cisco said as they saw the picture of the massive stab wound from one of the dead police officers.

"What made that wound? The wound is too big for a knife and the force broke through four ribs and came out the other side." Caitlin said.

"When the coroner's report came back, he found traces of finger nail and hair inside the wound." Barry said.

"So, this wound was made by someone's fist?" Naruto asked.

"That's what the evidence points to." Barry said.

"It takes about 25 lbs. of force to cause a fracture in a human bone and considerable more to break it depending on the area. The ribs are some of the densest areas in our body so it would take a rough estimate of 150lbs per square inch to break bone." Caitlin said.

"Well this meta must have some serious juice to break through four and make his way out the other side." Cisco said.

"So, we don't have an invisible meta but a super strong one. Maybe the particle accelerator increased the muscles in the meta's body to do something like that." Naruto said.

"Possibly. What other evidence was gathered?" Dr. Wells asked.

"The scaring on one of the officer's face came back…as snake venom." Barry said as Naruto flipped the page and it was indeed snake venom, viper venom.

"Ohh…why did it have to be snakes." Naruto said with a shiver as he handed the files to Cisco who looked confused.

"Naruto has a fear of snakes." Dr. Wells said.

"A well justified fear of snakes. They're tiny, deadly, they're fast and the eyes grab your soul." Naruto said with a shiver as everyone chuckled. "So, we have a human snake."

"It does help some of the evidence make more sense. The way the meta could move with such agility, the strength of the punch like the muscle strands of a snake's body, the force of the chokehold like a snake to constrict and the snake venom." Barry said. "And he was able to escape using the mall's vent system, able to maneuver through like a snake with ease."

"Do you think this meta can shed his skin like a snake?" Cisco asked.

"We'll ask him when we catch him." Catlin said as Naruto thought of something.

"Here's a thought. Maybe this meta was a scientist doing research with snakes and was exposed during the particle accelerator explosion which led to these powers. That would also explain how he has the strength and the venom." Naruto said.

"What do you mean?" Barry asked.

"Well, biologically snakes either can constrict or use venom. No snake does both." Naruto said.

"Wrong, super snake can." Cisco said as Naruto looked at him.

"I hope you're not thinking of naming him that." Naruto said as Cisco pat Naruto on the shoulder.

"Oh, Naruto. Yee of little faith." Cisco replied.

"So, did the skin cells from the wounds give us any way to identify the meta?" Dr. Wells asked.

"There wasn't enough DNA to run a test." Barry said.

"Maybe the security cameras will give us something." Naruto said as he sat down at the computers and began hacking into the CCTV cameras at the mall.

"When did you learn to hack?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I might have had Felicity teach me a thing or two when she was free." Naruto said as they chuckled. "Got it."

Naruto brought up the cameras of the entire day for the Central City Mall. "Ok, so the attack happened around 1." Naruto said as he sped up the cameras to that point.

The cameras showed the mall on a normal day. People were walking around to stores or window shopping and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "Nothing seems out of the ordinary." Cisco said as Naruto sped it up a bit.

"There." Naruto said as he highlighted the figure in the video who had a hoodie and a backpack on. The figure walked into the jewelry store and approached a display case contained high-priced jewels. The security guard in the store approached the man and grabbed his shoulder which caused the man to punch the security guard in the face.

"Oh." Barry said as he saw that the punch.

The man then ran at the guard with enhanced agility and contorted his body around the guard and put him in a choke hold and rendered him unconscious. The patrons in the store ran out of the store as the man began smashing display cases and grabbing all the gems and diamonds he could stuff in his bag.

The man moved with a sense of urgency and agility that allowed him to take all the stuff in the store in about a minute. Then the police showed up as they pulled their guns out and ordered the man to get on the ground. The figure had his back to the officers and raised his hands.

Officer Lee walked forward and when he got close he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He holstered his gun and grabbed the man's arms to handcuff him but the man turned around quickly, punched the officer across the face, broke his arm and then put him in a chokehold. The other police officers readied their guns as the man slowly walked forward with the police officer in a chokehold as a shield in case the cops tried to shoot him. The man then stabbed his hand through the cop's back with enough force to piece his back like a knife.

The man pushed the body forward and knocked him into another cop. One of the cops opened fire which caused everyone in the mall to run. The man ducked and dodged the bullets with expert agility and mobility and moved like a snake. He then ran up to the next cop, broke his arm, grabbed his gun, and struck his leg with his palm and sent him to the ground in pain. The man then moved over to Officer Donner and when he got close, a splash of liquid hit him in the face, causing him to cry out in pain. The man then killed Donner by grabbing his head and snapping his neck. The man then fired another bullet and hit a cop in the leg, and then took out the other cop by striking his legs and torso. The man then dropped the gun and climbed up the air vent in the jewelry store and made his escape just as Naruto arrived on the scene.

"And that's when Naruto showed up." Barry said as they all had various emotions, watching the footage.

"That was…awesome!" Cisco said as everyone looked at him. "In a terribly, tragic way."

"The guy used the ventilation shaft to escape. That means he must have been scoping out the mall and this store for an escape route. I'll have CSU do a sweep of the roof for any evidence. We never checked there." Barry said as he sent a text to Joe.

"Maybe we won't need it. I think there was a moment during the fight where his hood came off." Naruto said as he moved the footage back a few seconds to the fight. "Hang on."

Naruto moved it to the part where the hooded man had Officer Lee in a chokehold and had the other officers back. There was a small 1 second window during the fight where the man's hood came off but he quickly put it back up. Naruto stopped the footage, zoomed in, and highlighted the man's face.

"Nice. We'll have CCPD run his face through facial recognition and see if we get a hit." Barry said as Naruto sat back.

"No need. I know who he is." Naruto said as everyone looked at him.

Line Break xxxxx

After Naruto's revelation that he knew the killer, everyone was waiting to know how and who he was. Barry called Joe to let him in and to further the investigation with the CCPD. Naruto stood before everyone in the cortex with the frozen image of the killer's face on the screens.

"Ok, so spill. How do you know this guy?" Cisco asked, very curious.

"He was my roommate when I was at Hudson University. His name is Kabuto Yakushi. We met Freshmen year and we actually hit it off." Naruto said as he brought up some pictures from his Facebook page during Freshmen year. One of them showed Naruto and Kabuto smiling and hanging outside of the science building and both looked happy. Another picture showed Naruto and Kabuto with a group of other friends, five girls and 8 other guys. **(1)**

Everyone could tell how happy Naruto looked in these pictures. He was a different person before his parent's death. "We became pretty good friends and it helped that we had similar majors. I was double majoring in theoretical physics and engineering while Kabuto was a double major in biology and physics." Naruto told them.

"Geez, didn't you kids take it easy in college?" Joe asked as everyone chuckled.

"I remember him. You brought him and some of your friends to STAR Labs for a small trip." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Those were the good old days. He seemed normal, I never suspected anything." Naruto said.

"Then what happened?" Barry asked.

"It was around our Junior year when I began to notice things. He would be gone at weird hours, show up to classes late, make bullshit excuses for his disappearances and some weird items began to appear in our house." Naruto said.

"Weird how?" Caitlin asked.

"Nothing odd. But brand new computers, new furniture that none of us could afford, new biology equipment for his lab sessions and given how we were both on scholarship and he didn't have a job, I got worried how he was getting these things." Naruto said as they began to understand.

"So, he was a thief." Joe said.

"That's what I thought. But I had no idea how serious it was. One night, I followed him when he snuck out at night to an old Tea import warehouse that was shut down years ago, Miyagi Import." Naruto said.

"Was that where he was meeting with his crew?" Cisco asked.

"No, it's where he was meeting his father." Naruto said.

"Who is his father?" Barry asked.

"Orochimaru." Naruto said as Joe went wide-eyed.

"The Orochimaru?" Joe asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. I still remember his face." Naruto replied.

"Who is Orochimaru?" Barry asked.

"The White Snake. He was the biggest crime boss of the Japanese Yakuza. Terrorized all of Japan for years before he suddenly vanished." Naruto said.

"It was years later when Organized Crime divisions of police and the FBI began getting hits that Orochimaru was in America. New York, Metropolis, Gotham, Midway City, he kept moving. It was around 5 years ago, when we heard rumors that he made his way to Central City but we never had anything to go on." Joe told them.

"So, I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree? What was he doing?" Cisco asked.

"Well, during that time a whole bunch of jewelry stores and banks were hit over the course of three years. About a dozen. The jobs were perfectly planned and no trace evidence was found. And a bunch of medical and biology labs were hit as well which was odd." Joe said.

"Say what you want about Kabuto, he was a dedicated scientist. He was obsessed with science and biology, more specifically enhancing human biology. All of his papers and projects were about enhancing humans to be the ultimate lifeform on this planet." Naruto said.

"Geez, sounds a bit Frankenstein." Cisco said.

"Let me guess, he wanted to use snakes to enhance human biology." Caitlin said as Naruto nodded.

"So, we do have a human snake walking around." Barry said.

"You mean, …Python?" Cisco asked with a smile, naming another meta-human.

"It has a certain…level of fear associated with it." Caitlin said as Dr. Wells chuckled.

"Well, I think our main objective now is to find this man." Dr. Wells said.

"You mean, Python?" Cisco asked.

"Fine. We need to find this Python before he hurts anyone else or commits another robbery." Dr. Wells said.

"What happened after you found out what Kabuto was doing? Did you go to the police?" Barry asked.

"We did get an anonymous call that night about a warehouse full of items and men with guns but when we got there the place was cleared out. I'm guessing that was you?" Joe asked Naruto.

"It was. I wasn't going to go on record against the Yakuza, I treasure my life very much." Naruto said as everyone understood. "But I was also going send a letter to the Dean about what I saw but by then it was too late."

"What do you mean?" Barry asked.

"I stayed at my parents that night and when I went to school the next day, all of Kabuto's stuff was gone. When I asked, they told me Kabuto left school suddenly and didn't give a reason." Naruto said.

"Do you think he suspected you?" Caitlin asked.

"I don't think so. I'm here now and didn't wake up with my throat slit, a horse's head in my bed or my parents killed. Maybe after the police raid, Kabuto left with Orochimaru." Naruto said.

"So, how do we find him now?" Cisco asked.

"We have our feelers out for any kind of fences of jewelry stores that Kabuto might use to sell the diamonds but it's a long list." Joe said.

"Since Kabuto's done this before, he'll know what to do and how to avoid the police. It's gonna make this harder." Barry said. "I'll head to CCPD and go over the evidence, maybe there's something CSU missed that can help us narrow down where he is."

"Don't worry, Naruto. We'll get him." Joe said as Naruto nodded. He and Barry left while Cisco and Caitlin were working on ways to stop Python. Naruto was looking at his suit when he saw Dr. Wells move next to him.

"Something on your mind?" Dr. Wells asked.

"No, it's just that I should have seen this before. With Kabuto, I should have seen something was off but he played me. And because of that, those two cops are dead. And who knows what else he's done." Naruto said as Dr. Wells moved in front of him.

"You can't blame yourself for that. Naruto, you were young and Kabuto seemed and acted like a good friend. And unless you could read minds, there was no way you could have known who he really was. He fooled me and your parents too. And whatever Kabuto has become, it's his decisions he has made that are his to answer for. No one forced him to steal or to murder and you shouldn't feel responsible for what has happened." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Maybe, but now I have the abilities to stop him and I'm going to. I'm not going to let him get away this time." Naruto said with confidence as Dr. Wells nodded.

"And we'll help. From what we've seen, it's clear that Kabuto has a keen grasp on his new abilities." Dr. Wells said as he moved over to the computers. "Enhanced strength and agility, projectile venom, not to mention the enhanced bone and muscle structure to maneuver like that."

"You have to wonder if he can do all of that, how much man is left." Caitlin stated as they nodded.

"Still, he has to have been studying his powers for a while. I wonder if he's cold blooded?" Cisco said as Naruto shivered.

"I'm just surprised he learned his abilities so quickly. It must have come as quite a shock." Dr. Wells said.

"Kabuto was a dedicated scientist. Whenever he encountered a problem he couldn't solve, he spent all of his…energy to figure it out." Naruto said as he got an idea.

"What is it?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto walked over to the computers and rolled Cisco away.

"Sorry, need to borrow this." Naruto said as he quickly got to work.

"Ok." Cisco said as he, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"I think Kabuto is committing these robberies for a reason. He's trying to figure out exactly what happened to him, and if he figured that out, he's either trying to figure out a cure or how to replicate it." Naruto said as he began hacking into the Central City's mainframe, power grid and past police reports.

"You think he would do that?" Caitlin asked.

"He wanted to expand human biology in college and now that he has changed, he's going to want to know how. And to do that, he's gonna need money and equipment." Naruto said as they nodded.

"Which is why he robbed the jewelry store." Cisco said.

"And it turns out, there have been other reports of small robberies and thefts. Convenience stores and gas stations, ATM's and Hudson University reported its science and biology lab was broken into." Naruto said as he brought up the police reports.

"How come Joe didn't make the connection?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Because the reporting officers chalked it up to skilled robbers and Kabuto wasn't caught on camera these times." Naruto said.

"Guess the small-time scores weren't enough. He must need a lot of money for better equipment." Caitlin said as Naruto finished typing and smiled.

"And I know where he is. Miyagi Import." Naruto said as he brought up an image of the warehouse.

"Why would he go back there? The police busted that place already." Cisco said.

"Exactly, making it the last place they'd look. Plus, a lot of the early robberies were committed near the warehouse district." Naruto said.

"Could be coincidences?" Dr. Wells suggested.

"Except the warehouse's power consumption for the past few weeks indicates that either the warehouse is open for business or some equipment is drawing a lot of power." Naruto said as he got up and walked over to his suit.

"Naruto, wait. We'll call Barry and Joe and they'll help you." Cisco said as Naruto shook his head no.

"No. Kabuto is my friend and I'll stop him." Naruto said.

"Naruto…" Dr. Wells said.

"Dr. Wells…I need to do this. Please." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded reluctantly. "Don't worry, I'll have you guys in here." Naruto said as he pointed to his ear. He then grabbed his suit, quickly put it on and super sped to the warehouse district.

He stopped outside the warehouse and put his new and improved goggles on and switched to thermal. " _All right, Naruto. Be our eyes and ears, tell us what you see."_ Cisco said.

"He's here. The heat in the warehouse is through the roof and I see his thermal signature. Thanks for the upgrade, Cisco." Naruto said as Cisco chuckled.

" _That's what I'm here for, baby. Now, go get this Python_." Cisco said as Naruto super sped inside the warehouse and stopped to see dozens of space heaters, lines of medical equipment, a cot, some food, bags of money and jewelry and a hooded figure standing by a work bench, busy with something.

"Well, it seems I'm not the only one to have undergone changes. Although, I must say your changes are very unique." Kabuto said, still focused on his work.

"It's over, Kabuto. I saw what you did to those police officers. Now, hand over the jewels and I won't have to hurt you." Impulse said as Kabuto chuckled.

"Those officers' deaths were unfortunate but necessary. After all, to further the progress of humanity, you need to dirty your hands." Kabuto said as he turned and removed his hood to show that he looked like a half snake. He kept his hair and was wearing his glasses but his skin was pale white like a snake and had patterns and lines that resembled snake scales and it seemed like his whole body had changed. But the most prominent change was Kabuto's eyes, they were yellow and had vertical slits like a snake.

" _Oh, my god_." Caitlin said as they saw everything Naruto was seeing through the camera in his goggles.

"Kabuto, you don't need to do this. I want to help you. I know people who can help you, fix you." Impulse said as Kabuto chuckled.

"Fix this? I don't need to be fixed…Naruto." Kabuto said as Impulse went wide-eyed. "Just because you were a suit and goggles doesn't mean I don't recognize you. You forget, I knew a lot about you when we were in college."

"Then let me help you." Impulse said.

"Help me? You should be helping me, Naruto. Look at us, we have become something greater than what we could ever have dreamed of in college. This is what we were pursuing, to change the world and now we can." Kabuto said with a smile as Naruto shook his head.

"You're right. But that doesn't mean we should become monsters in order to do that. And you have, Kabuto. Now, last warning. Surrender and this won't have to get ugly." Impulse warned him while Kabuto smirked.

"We both know you're not a fighter, Naruto." Kabuto

"A lot has changed since then." Impulse said as Kabuto chuckled.

"You have no idea how right you are." Kabuto said as he hit a button on his desk and two gas canisters near Impulse exploded in a puff of yellowish vapor. Kabuto ran as Naruto was immersed in the cloud before he stumbled out and fell to his knees. His breathing began to get heavy, his body felt weird and he couldn't see straight.

" **[Violently Coughing]"** Naruto's vision began to blur and his body felt like it was trapped in cement.

" _Naruto? Naruto, talk to me."_ Dr. Wells said over the comms as Caitlin noticed his vitals began to get erratic.

" _Naruto's vitals, they're all over the place_!" Caitlin said as Cisco looked at the suit's sensors.

" _Naruto, he hit you with some kind of weaponized venom. It's messing with your body!"_ Cisco said as Naruto began to cough up some blood.

"No kidding." Impulse replied as he tried to stand up but couldn't.

"Interesting, isn't it. When I first discovered my powers after the night of the storm 10 months ago, I was doing experiments with snakes and low and behold I gained some of their characteristics. Including venom production. Venom from cobras of the neurotoxic variety are my favorite. The venom is attacking your nervous system. In a normal person, a strong enough dose would cause instant paralysis but it seems you're much stronger." Kabuto said as he grabbed Naruto from behind and threw him like a ragdoll into a pillar.

"Ugh…" Impulse groaned at the impact as he hit the ground and began to crawl away.

"Of course, the added strength is nice as well." Kabuto said as he walked towards Naruto. He then picked him up and put him in a chokehold.

"Ack— "Impulse gagged as he tried to pry himself free.

"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon." Kabuto said as Naruto tried to get free.

" _We've got to help him."_ Caitlin said as they tried to think of an idea to help him as Dr. Wells began typing on his computer.

" _Naruto, hang on. I've hacked into the warehouse's security system. It's about to rain."_ Dr. Wells said as he activated the fire alarm system in the warehouse. The alarm system blared and it activated the sprinklers. Kabuto let Naruto go and ran over to his work station.

"NO!" Kabuto shouted as he ran over to protect his research. Naruto stood up and saw the water short circuit his computers and the heaters. It began to get colder in the warehouse and Naruto got an idea. Kabuto turned and glared at Naruto. "You! You ruined my research!"

"I'm about to ruin a lot more." Impulse said as he began running around Kabuto like a tornado. As Impulse ran around, the wind began to picked up and that combined with the water began to affect Kabuto as he started to shiver. Impulse kept running and running as Kabuto fell to his knees, rubbing his arms to keep himself warm so Impulse ran forward and punched Kabuto across the face and knocked him off his feet, through the air and sent him tumbling across the ground, unconscious.

Naruto stopped as he coughed some more and the sprinklers turned off. His breathing was still heavy but much better than before. _"Naruto? Naruto, talk to me? Are you ok?"_ Dr. Wells asked as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Yeah…sort of." Naruto replied as Dr. Wells, Caitlin and Cisco breathed a sigh of relief.

"Cisco, prep a cell in the pipeline. I'm coming in." Naruto said as he grabbed Kabuto and ran back to STAR Labs.

Cisco managed to prep a cell with reinforced glass and paneling so that Kabuto couldn't punch or climb his way out. Caitlin called Joe and the CCPD raided the warehouse and took back all the money and jewels. The group was in the cortex as Cisco filled Barry and Joe in while Caitlin did a final checkup on Naruto in the med bay.

"So, this Kabuto was an actual snake?" Joe asked.

"Oh yeah. Freaky scales and all." Cisco said as Barry nodded.

"Well, at least Python won't be able to hurt anyone anymore now that he's safely locked away in the pipeline." Barry said.

"Yeah, Naruto really showed some serious guts to go in by himself. Looks like Impulse is going to give the Streak a run for his money. No pun intended." Joe said as Barry chuckled. Naruto walked out of the med bay as he put on his jacket.

"Naruto, how do you feel?" Barry asked.

"Ah, not bad. Still a bit sore. Nothing some rest won't fix." Naruto said as he cracked his neck and stretched a bit.

"Sore is an understatement. That venom would have killed any normal person." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled.

"But I did it. With your help, Dr. Wells." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"Just glad my hunch paid off. Snakes are cold-blooded animals so I figured Kabuto would have adopted that property as well." Dr. Wells said. "Still, it was you who managed to find Kabuto and bring him down. I'm proud of you, Naruto."

"Thank you, Dr. Wells." Naruto replied.

"Now, I think we should all go celebrate Naruto's first solo takedown. Who's ready to party?" Cisco asked as Naruto exhaled.

"Thanks, Cisco. I appreciate the gesture but money's a bit tight at the moment." Naruto said as everyone nodded.

"Actually, Naruto. I've been meaning to give you something for a while." Dr. Wells said as he handed Naruto a manila folder with a label from Weathersby and Stone Law Firm.

"Weathersby and Stone?" Barry asked as Naruto opened the manila folder and took out some papers. He began reading, went wide-eyed and then passed out.

"Naruto!" Caitlin shouted as she checked on him. Barry picked up the files and went wide-eyed like Naruto. Joe looked as well and was shocked.

"Damn." Joe said.

"What is it?" Cisco asked as he walked over to see.

"Naruto's parents were always people who looked to the future and that meant the future of their son. They prepared a nice trust for him should something happen to them." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, a really nice trust." Cisco said at the 10-million-dollar trust. "Damn, Naruto's loaded now."

"Minato and Kushina were very skilled scientists and their work both with and before STAR Labs was very profitable but they were simple people. They set aside most of it for Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he looked at Naruto.

"And he never got this because he fell off the grid after their funeral." Barry said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"An agent from the law firm got in contact with me and handed me a copy of the statement should Naruto get in contact with me. I wasn't there for Naruto before, that won't happen again." Dr. Wells said as they nodded.

"Man, is Naruto going to be happy. You think it'd be too much to have him treat us to dinner?" Cisco asked as everyone chuckled.

Line Break xxxxx

After the capture of Python, the team got back into their usual routine of training and saving the city but no new metahumans had appeared. It had been a week and Barry invited Naruto, Cisco, and Caitlin to a bar for a night out with Iris and Eddie. Lucky for Naruto, with the new trust fund he found out about he wasn't as strapped for cash as he normally was. He was financially secure and he even donated a million dollars to Tsunade because it was too much for him and it was a thank you for her helping him at a tough point of his life.

Naruto was drinking his fifth beer as he watched Eddie and Iris play some darts. Caitlin and Iris were talking while Cisco talked with Eddie for a bit. Naruto finished his beer and noticed he wasn't feeling buzzed at all. He walked over to the bar where Barry was to get another drink.

"Excuse me, can I get some whiskey?" Naruto asked as the bartender nodded and got him a small glass of whiskey. He then noticed Barry looking at Iris, lovingly. "You ok. Barry?"

"Yeah." Barry replied as they saw Eddie lift Iris up and hug her.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better. Half of relationships don't last that long. Don't give up." Naruto said as Barry nodded and they cheer their drinks. Barry took a sip of beer and Naruto took a sip of whiskey when Iris walked over.

"Hey, you two. Having fun?" Iris asked as Naruto and Barry nodded.

"Yeah." Naruto replied.

"I'm glad you invited Caitlin and Cisco." Iris told Barry.

"They're cool, right?" Barry asked.

"They saved your life, Barry. That makes them the coolest people I've ever met. It's nice you guys became friends. You too, Naruto. Believe me, Barry's the best friend there is. To friends, old and new." Iris said as she raised her shot glass.

Naruto and Barry raised their shot glasses and drank them with ease. "Ooh, I'm up. Wish me luck." Iris said as she playfully punched Barry in the shoulder and walked back to Eddie.

Naruto drank the rest of his whiskey in one gulp and felt fine. "Barry, do you feel anything?" Naruto asked.

"No. Not at all." Barry said as he ordered five more shots as the bartender poured them and handed them to Barry on a tray. "Come on."

Barry and Naruto walked over to the table where Cisco and Caitlin were standing by. "Guys, I think we have a problem." Barry said.

"We all do when guys like him exist." Cisco said, looking at Eddie.

"Yeah, he's so hot." Caitlin said as she realized what she said. "Uh, I mean, genetically speaking. Because I'm a geneticist, of course. Oh my god, do I sound like Felicity?"

"I'm not talking about Eddie. I'm talking about this." Barry said as he used his super speed to slam the five shots down in 3 seconds. "I can't feel anything."

"Yeah, that's usually what happens when you drink too much." Cisco said as he and Caitlin chuckled.

"No, that's not it. The alcohol is not affecting us. I've been drinking with you guys and no buzz. I'm literally, completely fine." Naruto told them.

"It's your hyper metabolism. I need a sample." Caitlin said as she opened her purse.

"I'll get more shots." Cisco said as he left for the bar.

"I swear I had a Vacutainer in here." Caitlin said.

"Wait, you carry a blood collection kit in your purse?" Naruto asked.

"You have your hobbies, I have mine." Caitlin replied.

Caitlin pricked Naruto and Barry and drew a small blood sample to run some tests later. Cisco returned with a tray of shots and they all took a drink. Cisco and Caitlin felt it but to Naruto and Barry, they felt like they were drinking water or juice.

"Nothing?" Cisco asked as Barry shook his head no.

"No. This is ridiculous. I'm only 25 and my drinking days are over." Barry said as Naruto looked at him.

"Oh no, you can't drink anymore at 25. Boo hoo, Barry you had two more years than I did." Naruto said as he hit his head on the table in despair as Caitlin rubbed his shoulder.

"Ok, Allen. You're up." Eddie said as Barry got up but Eddie's phone rang. "There's been a bombing on Eight and Pass. Sorry, babe got to go."

Naruto, Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin all shared a look and nodded while Iris grabbed her purse. "I've got an early shift at Jitters. Barry, we'll catch up tomorrow." Iris said as she left.

"It's getting late anyway, so I'm just gonna…" Barry said when Iris left but as soon as she was gone from sight, Naruto and Barry left the building and super sped to STAR labs, grabbed their suits and ran to the building. They stopped and slid to a stop in the alley next to the building and saw the building. The east side of the 15th floor windows were destroyed with fire and smoke spewing out. They also saw a window washer on a platform about to break.

"Guys, there's a window washer and he's about to fall!" Flash said as Naruto put on his goggles and it analyzed how high he was. Naruto then switched it to thermal and saw there was a security guard stuck on the 15th floor, trapped by the fire.

"That's not the only problem, we've got a security guard stuck on the 15th floor. He's trapped." Impulse said.

" _The fire department is 5 minutes out."_ Cisco said as the fire began to spread.

"We don't have time." Impulse said as Barry got an idea.

"How fast would we need to go to run up the side of a building?" Flash asked.

" _How far up do you need to go?"_ Cisco asked.

"55 meters, Cisco." Impulse said as Cisco began some calculations but the wires holding up the window washer were about to snap. "Cisco, hurry!"

" _Just run really fast and you'll be fine but you need to maintain your velocity on the way down, or…"_ Caitlin said.

"Or what?" Flash asked.

" _Splat."_ Caitlin said as Naruto sighed.

"Great. Ok. Come on, Naruto. You can do this." He said, trying to pump himself up. He and Barry then took off running as fast as they could and were running up the side of the building. The Flash ran straight and grabbed the window washer while Impulse took a turn and ran through a destroyed window, grabbed the security guard, and ran back out.

The Flash ran back down the side of the building and stopped when he hit the ground and let go of the window washer. He was about to start running when he saw Iris looking straight at him so he quickly began vibrating his face so she didn't recognize him.

He then ran and Impulse quickly followed by after dropping the security guard next to the window washer. Iris was amazed as she saw two streaks run past her, one with dark yellow lightning and the other with a white and crimson lightning trail. "Wow." Iris said.

Line Break xxxxx

Come morning, Barry and the CCPD were all over the bombing. They had pushed out all their resources on this in case it could be a terrorist bombing but the early hypothesis was that it wasn't. Barry was getting some samples as Joe finished with the building security.

"Barry, what have you got?" Joe asked.

"Bombers typically have their own unique signatures. Crimped wires, fragmentation. The level of sophistication is telling once I've analyzed it. You show me a bomb, I can find a clue in it." Barry said.

"Sounds like there's a but coming." Joe stated.

"Yeah, I haven't found any sign of an oxidizing agent. It's as if the floor just blew itself up." Barry said.

"Things just don't blow up." Joe replied. "Did Naruto see anything when he was up here?"

"No. He just saw fire, no sign of a bomb and no sign of the bomber." Barry said as Eddie walked up to them.

"Security guard said our bomber was a woman, red hair. Also, cut the security cameras feed. There's no footage. But there might be something else." Eddie said as they walked over to a room with a destroyed door handle. "A small charge blew off the door handle."

They walked into the room to see rows of file cabinets. "Any idea what's missing?" Joe asked.

"My guess is one of these files. But it's gonna take days to figure out which one." Eddie said.

"Let's let Barry do his thing." Joe said as he and Eddie left.

Barry used his super speed and began rummaging through the file cabinets to find whatever was missing. But the first 10 cabinets had nothing missing until he found a VA file holder that was empty with the serial number on it. Barry bagged up all the evidence to head back to the CCPD. Joe and Eddie walked into the CCPD and moved to their desks to see some US military soldiers waiting outside of Captain Singh's office and Captain Singh talking to someone.

Joe looked at Officer Vukovich for some answers. "What's going on?" Joe asked.

"I don't know, but they came in like they own the place." Officer Vukovich said as Captain Singh left his office with the man he was speaking too. He was dressed like an Army General with badges and everything. Singh looked at Joe and Eddie and motioned them over.

"General Eiling, this is Detective West." Singh said as General Eiling shook Joe's hand.

"Detective." Eiling greeted him.

"What's this all about?" Joe asked.

"The Army's taking over the bombing investigation." Singh said.

"I'll need everything you have. Physical evidence, photographs, witness interviews and all your personal notes." Eiling said.

"I've been on the job nearly 20 years, I've never heard of the army investigating anything civilian." Joe said.

"Well, it's not civilian. She's one of ours." Eiling said as Joe nodded.

"We'll send over everything we got." Joe said as Eiling smiled and nodded.

"Very king of you. I think we'll take it now, though." Eiling said as Joe looked at Singh.

"Give them what they want, Joe." Singh said.

"You heard them Joe, give me what I want." Eiling said as Joe nodded. He turned to grabbed some of the boxes and shared a look of uneasiness with Eddie. They handed over all the information as Barry walked in from the elevator.

"Hey, what's going on?" Barry asked.

"General Eiling is relieving us from the bombing case. Give these men everything that's relevant." Joe told him.

"Sure thing, yeah." Barry said as he handed a soldier the box of evidence. He took it and they walked away but Barry quickly grabbed the evidence bag holding the VA file.

"You and a few civilians from S.T.A.R. Labs might wanna check into that." Joe told him.

"I think we will." Barry replied as he left.

While Barry was working the crime scene, Naruto had finished an early morning class and went over to S.T.A.R. Labs for some more training. Something Cisco was more than happy to help him with, and he had a special surprise in store. Naruto changed into some workout clothes as he walked into one of the old science labs that Cisco had turned into a training room. He walked in to see Cisco and Dr. Wells standing in the next room looking through a glass window.

"We're not training my speed this time?" Naruto asked.

" _No, today we're training your reflexes and your mind's ability to think in stressful situations. So, I've had Cisco develop a little test."_ Dr. Wells said over the intercom.

" _Now, if you'll step onto the X in the middle of the room, we can begin, young padawan."_ Cisco said as Naruto did. _"So, I figured the best way to test your reflexes and your brain's power to think would be to replicate a situation you would encounter in the field. Heads up."_

Suddenly, a computer controlled assault rifle came out of the wall and fired at Naruto as Naruto managed to dodge at the last second and saw it was a BB-pellet. Naruto looked at the pellet as it rolled on the ground. "BB's?" Naruto asked.

" _Cheaper than bullets and a good idea of what you're gonna be facing."_ Cisco said as he activated four more controlled assault rifles as Naruto smiled and cracked his neck.

"All right. Come on!" Naruto shouted as the rifles fired and Naruto began speeding around the room, dodging back and forth, zipping like a spinning top. Cisco monitored his vitals and the computers that controlled the BB-guns while Dr. Wells checked Naruto's speed and was impressed that he crushed his previous time of 550 mph and was now averaging 600 mph.

"He's doing well." Cisco said to Dr. Wells as they saw that Naruto was managing to dodge the BBs well.

"Yes, and his speed is improving. I think he's even progressing faster than Barry." Dr. Wells said as Cisco chuckled.

"Don't tell Barry that." Cisco joked as he decided to kick it up a notch. "All right, level two."

More toy rifles came out of the walls and began firing which made it a little harder but Naruto kept dodging and speeding around the room, looking behind and over his shoulder to keep an eye on any stray BB that would hit him. Cisco pressed another button and a rope launcher fired a bolo that managed to catch Naruto off guard and wrap around his feet. Naruto fell on the ground with a loud thud as the BB's hit him all over.

"Ow, ow. Ow! OW!" Naruto shouted as Cisco quickly turned the rifles off. Naruto sat up as he rubbed his face where the bruises of the BB were. "Ok, that hurt."

" _Nicely done, Naruto but we've still got room to improve."_ Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just glad they were BBs." Naruto said as he untied the bolo around his feet. They kept training for another hour and then took a break. Naruto was getting his bruises and cuts looked at by Caitlin just to be on the safe side but Naruto swore he was fine.

"Ow." Naruto said as Caitlin rubbed some cleaning alcohol on a bad cut.

"Sorry. The cuts and bruises should be gone in an hour but take it easy for a bit. We don't want them to get worse." Caitlin said as Naruto nodded. "I still can't believe you shot him, Cisco."

"What? Dr. Wells wanted to test Naruto's reflexes and it was a better idea than rubber bullets. Those suckers hurt." Cisco joked as Dr. Wells wheeled in.

"Still the results are promising. Naruto is showing enhanced reflexes when he uses his speed. Probably a great deal more enhanced than Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled.

"Oh, Impusle giving the Flash a run for his money. I'd pay to see a race between you two." Cisco said as everyone chuckled.

"Then you'd be wise to put your money on Naruto." Everyone heard as they turned to see a blonde woman with a large bust holding Kurama and a brunette next to her with a small pig and a large bag on the floor next to them. "He was quick even before he got his powers."

"Tsunade, Shizune what are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he stood up.

"Well it was lunch time so we'd figure a nice ramen break was in order." Shizune said as Kurama jumped out of Tsunade's arms and crawled up to Naruto's shoulder.

"Besides, Kurama missed you. And it'd give us a chance to see where you spend all your time." Tsunade said as she looked around. "Impressive."

"Well, I'm sure you know Caitlin, Cisco, and Dr. Wells. Guys, you know Tsunade and Shizune." Naruto said as he walked over to the bag and put it on a nearby table.

"It's great to see you again." Caitlin said as she shook their hands and Cisco and Dr. Wells did the same.

"Glad you could come visit." Dr. Wells said as Cisco walked over to Naruto when he smelled the amazing ramen.

"Well, we wanted to see how Naruto was doing. But I guess he's in the best of hands." Tsunade said as she looked at him and Cisco digging in. "He's a special kid."

"That he is. And we're doing the best we can for him to make sure he stays safe." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin pet Ton-Ton.

"And having him is a big help. He saves us several part time hands." Tsunade joked as Dr. Wells chuckled.

"So, what do you do here exactly?" Shizune asked as she looked at the computers and labs and at Naruto and Barry's suit on display.

"Well, here is where we monitor the city for any unusual crimes or signs of other meta-humans. And the med bay is where Caitlin helps Naruto and the Flash should they get hurt which happens a lot." Cisco said as he slurped some noodles.

"Don't worry, we heal fast." Naruto told them.

"Wow, this is impressive equipment. Is that a radiological EKG and a deep tissue scanner?" Tsunade asked as Caitlin nodded in surprise.

"Yeah, how did you know that?" Caitlin asked.

"Oh, Tsunade was a doctor before she opened the shelter." Naruto told her.

"Really?" Caitlin asked.

"Yup, you're looking at the former hematologist, radiologist, and vascular surgeon of John Hopkins Hospital." Naruto said as they looked at Tsunade who cracked a small smile. "And Shizune was her resident."

"Very impressive." Dr. Wells said.

"Well that was a long time ago. I helped people then and I'm helping kids who need me more now. Besides, the three of you have been helping Naruto and he's been helping this city." Tsunade said they smiled.

 **[Burp]** They heard and turned to Naruto. "Wasn't me." Naruto said pointing to Cisco who chuckled.

"Sorry, that was amazing ramen." Cisco said as put his empty bowl down.

"I'm glad someone else praises Shizune's amazing cooking." Naruto said as he pat Cisco on the shoulder.

"Showering me with praise won't make me make ramen for you every day, Naruto." Shizune replied and Naruto grumbled.

"Hey, guys." They heard as they saw Barry walk in holding a folder in his hands. "Oh, we have guests."

"It's ok, Barry. They're family. Barry, this is Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato. They own the shelter that I've been staying at and helped me through a tough time in my life. Shizune, Tsunade, meet Barry Allen. The fifth member of our team and my speeding partner." Naruto said as Barry shook Tsunade and Shizune's hands.

"It's nice to meet you both." Barry said as Tsunade and Shizune smiled.

"Likewise, Naruto told us you're a CSI with the police. You seem kind of young for that." Tsunade said as Barry chuckled.

"I get that a lot." Barry replied.

"Mr. Allen, I'm guessing you have a new case for us. And that this pertains to the building fire you and Naruto were present at last night." Dr. Wells said as Barry nodded and held up the file as Cisco came by and took it and sat down at the computers.

"Yeah, there were some discrepancies with the crime scene and I think we've got a meta-human bomber on our hands." Barry said as they gathered around.

"That's not a good mix." Naruto said as he looked at the file. "So, the bombing was a cover for stealing a VA file?"

"That's all you got? A VA file number?" Cisco asked.

"The SCPD have been ordered off the case." Barry said.

"Who has the authority to do that?" Shizune asked.

"The army. Some general came in and ordered us off the case. His name was Eiling." Barry told them.

"General Wade Eiling." Dr. Wells said as everyone looked at him.

"You know him?" Barry asked.

"Yes, I know him. About 10 year ago, General Wade Eiling contacted S.T.A.R. labs to develop enhanced gene therapies for soldiers. I was interested in the potential medical benefits for civilians. General Eiling really wanted to develop mind-reading capabilities for interrogation purposes." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin remembered this and Naruto remembered something as well.

"Wait, I think I remember that. Yeah, I remember my dad was in a really foul mood for a year when you were working on these experiments. He wasn't happy and I think he must have gotten into a fight at one point because my mom chastised him for throwing a punch." Naruto said as Dr. Wells looked at him.

"Yes, Minato was vocal on his opinions of working with General Eiling and once he figured out what the general's tests were he came to me to shut them down. And got into a physical altercation with General Eiling." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked at him. "In other words, your father sucker punched him across the jaw."

" **[Laughing]** Oh, I would have paid to see that." Naruto said as the others chuckled.

"I ended the study shortly after but our split was less than amicable." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, he took the evidence I collected on the bombing. Everything but the folder." Barry said as Wells looked at it.

"Well, lucky for us, the VA finally joined the new millennium and digitized their records." Cisco said as he brought up the files and saw it was the file of a soldier with a lot of redacted information. "A lot of redacted info but our girl's name is Bette Sans Souci, an EOD specialist for the Army."

"EOD?" Caitlin asked.

"Bomb disposal." Naruto told her as she nodded.

"Is there an address?" Barry asked.

"Hold on, here we go. One person in case of emergency, Cameron Scott, Inglewood." Cisco said as Barry grabbed his suit and left before Naruto could go with him.

"Well, he's fast." Tsunade said as Naruto was ready to go when Dr. Wells stopped him.

"It's all right, Naruto. It's just a recovery, I'm sure Mr. Allen will be fine on his own." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded and they waited for Barry to return.

"Barry, how's it going?" Cisco asked as they waited for him to reply but he didn't. Cisco was going to try again when the bio feed from his suit wasn't responding with a signal. "What the hell?"

"No signal." Caitlin said. "Barry!"

Then a whoosh of air and yellow lightning ran past them as they saw Barry walk out of the med bay as he put on a S.T.A.R. labs shirt and sweatpants. "Uh…?" Naruto said.

"Don't ask." Barry told them.

"I'm gonna ask, where's my suit?" Cisco asked.

"It's…gone." Barry said as Cisco looked at him.

"What do you mean it's gone? What happened to my suit?" Cisco asked.

"It blew up, dude. I managed to get out of it before it went kaboom." Barry said.

"My suit, went kaboom?" Cisco asked, horrified at what he was hearing.

"Fun fact about Bette Sans Souci: She's not carrying bombs. She touched the emblem on the suit and turned it into a bomb. She's a metahuman." Barry told them.

"With the ability to cause spontaneous combustion upon tactile contact." Dr. Wells said as Cisco turned to him.

"She blew up my suit." Cisco repeated.

"You have like three more." Caitlin said.

"Ok, I have two and I loved that one." Cisco replied.

"All right, so what else do we know about Bette Sans Souci?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, I don't know, she's pure evil? We're gonna find this bomb girl and send her butt into the pipeline. No one blows my tech to smithereens and gets away with it." Cisco said as he brought up an image of Bette. "Unless she looks like that."

"I don't think she meant to hurt me." Barry said as they looked at him.

"You think it was an accident?" Tsunade asked as Barry nodded.

"She didn't seem to want to hurt me. I don't think she can control her powers." Barry said.

"Well, her being a metahuman explains General Eiling's interest in her." Dr. Wells said Joe walked in.

"And why he stole the case from us. He doesn't want anyone to know what she can do." Joe said as he saw the two new women in the room. "Ah, we have company."

"Joe, meet Tsunade and Shizune. Tsunade, Shizune meet Detective Joe West." Naruto said as Joe shook their hands.

"Detective." Tsunade said as Joe smiled.

"So, human bomb. Must be Tuesday in Central City." Joe said.

"Yes, and General Eiling's not one to give up a potential asset without a fight." Dr. Wells said.

"Then we have to find her before he does or we'll have a super-powered bomb maker in the hands of the army." Naruto said as everyone nodded and got to work while Barry left with Joe to have a conversation.

Naruto stuck around to help Caitlin and Cisco track down Bette while Tsunade and Shizune left to go to back to the shelter but they would come by often to check in and get to explore the med lab.

They kept looking over her file, seeing if any of her non-redacted info could help but there wasn't much to go on until Cisco managed to get a back trace on the military's radio frequency so they could follow Eiling's search. Naruto was combing through the files when Cisco got a hit.

"I got it. The army just sent out a call to Eiling. The lovely Ms. Sans Souci was just spotted in Anglewood." Cisco said.

"The same neighborhood as Dr. Harold Hadley, the military surgeon who performed several procedures on her. That's why she was looking for the folder." Caitlin said.

"She's probably trying to figure out what happened to her." Naruto said as they nodded. "All right, I'm on it."

Naruto quickly grabbed his suit and sped off to the address of Dr. Hadley. Naruto sped through the streets until he came to the Center for Inflicted Wounds where Dr. Hadley was working. He sped into the room as a gush of air caused Bette and Dr. Hadley to look at him in awe and confusion. Naruto then noticed green lights from the windows and before he could do something a bullet came in and hit Bette in the arm.

Naruto saw Hadley reach into his desk for something and not wanting to risk it, he quickly sucker-punched him and knocked him out. He then knelt to check on Bette. "You ok?" Impulse asked as he heard footsteps outside. "Look, I can get you out of here. I can help you understand what happened to you."

"How?" Bette asked.

"Because it happened it happened to me." Impulse said. "Please."

Bette nodded when Impulse saw a flashbang break through the window and enter the room so he quickly grabbed it and tossed it back outside before it went off. Eiling and his men were hit with the loud noise and light while Impulse grabbed Bette and ran back to S.T.A.R. labs.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto retrieved Bette and took her to the cortex as Barry came by so Dr. Wells could explain how the Particle Accelerator Explosion led to people like Naruto, Barry and Bette gaining powers. He was explaining everything as one of the computer screens played the data and a simulation of what happened.

"As the detonation dispersed throughout Central City, a number of people were exposed to a wave of unquantifiable energy. Naruto and Mr. Allen were among those affected, as are you. You were in Central City 10 months ago." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin handed Bette a pair of special gloves. When she grabbed them, they didn't explode.

"Uh, I had just returned from Afghanistan. I was there diffusing roadside bombs and…shrapnel ripped through me. I was flown back Stateside, spent months at the base recuperating. And the next thing I know, I became the thing that almost killed me. And Eiling's favorite new lab rat." Bette told them as she put on the gloves.

"The dark matter must have combined with the bomb particulate inside your body." Caitlin told her.

"I thought Eiling did this to me." Bette said as they looked at her.

"Eiling is not smart enough to create someone like you but clever enough to see your value." Dr. Wells said.

"And if we don't stop him, then we'll bomb making super soldiers controlled by the US army and I've watched enough movies to know that ends bad. Especially, if someone like Eiling is in control." Naruto said.

"Do you know of any others who were changed?" Bette asked.

"There've been a few." Caitlin said.

"But no one that looks like you." Cisco said as Barry and Naruto chuckled and Cisco realized what he said. "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate. Please don't leave."

"I know how to perform a lobotomy." Caitlin warned him.

"Disregarding Cisco's statement, Bette we'll do everything we can to help you. STAR labs is one of the most advance labs in the world and with Dr. Wells, we'll come up with something." Naruto said as Dr. Wells and Bette smiled.

Bette was moved to one of the med labs and was sitting on the gurney as they used the computers to run rudimentary scans of her body and her molecular structure for their tests and to figure out how her powers worked.

"Her cellular structure is unlike anything I've ever seen before." Dr. Wells said.

"And her nitrogen levels are off the charts." Caitlin said as they looked at the scans.

"You think that's the source of her power?" Naruto asked.

"It's a possibility. In order to help her, we must understand her power and to understand her power, have to study her in action." Dr. Wells said.

"You want her to blow stuff up. Yes, now we're talking." Cisco said, excited.

"Not in here. She's too unstable." Dr. Wells told him.

"I know." Cisco replied.

"I know you know." Dr. Wells replied.

Caitlin walked into the lab to check on Bette and prepare some tests. "So, this is your life now, huh? Testing people like me?" Bette asked.

"Stopping people like you. It's not what I thought I'd be doing." Caitlin said as she prepared a syringe to take a blood sample. "Actually, aside from Barry and Naruto, you're the first metahuman that we've tested."

"Metahuman?" Bette asked.

"It's just a term." Caitlin said when she noticed Bette was bleeding. "Oh, my god. What happened?"

Bette rolled up her sleeve to shot a bullet wound. "Why didn't you say you were shot?" Caitlin asked.

"It just grazed me." Bette said as Caitlin looked closer and noticed something.

"There's something in there." Caitlin said as Naruto and Dr. Wells looked alarmed. Caitlin grabbed a pair of tweezers and carefully pulled out a small round object from her wound.

"A tracker." Bette said as everyone was alarmed.

"Oh crap." Naruto said as the proximity alarm went off and Naruto checked the cameras and saw it was General Eiling with a squad of armed soldiers.

"Lock down the pipeline. Get Bette out of here. I'll take care of Eiling." Dr. Wells said as Cisco went to prep the truck and Naruto left to lock down the pipeline while Barry helped Caitlin with Bette. They left via a secret entrance and took the S.T.A.R. labs truck to the same place they first tested Barry's speed while Dr. Wells dealt with Eiling.

Dr. Wells went to the main lobby of S.T.A.R. labs to meet General Eiling and saw him there with a squad of armed soldiers. "Harrison Wells. How the mighty have fallen." General Eiling said in a smug tone as Dr. Wells kept a calm demeanor.

"General." Dr. Wells said as the squad of soldiers walked down the corridor and began searching the building.

"STAR labs. Oh, this place use to be so important. Tell me, what does one do after such a spectacular public failure?" General Eiling asked.

"One adapts, one evolves. One takes a step back to prioritize one's focus and become intent on reversing one's fortune." Dr. Wells said as Eiling smirked.

"Always the idealist." Eiling commented.

"A trait I picked up from some very good friends." Dr. Wells said as he and Eiling heard footsteps coming up and saw Naruto walk in.

"Dr. Wells, I just wanted to see what was keeping you. But when I saw the soldiers pass me, I should have figured." Naruto said as he clenched his fist, when Dr. Wells slightly shook his head no, preventing Naruto from doing anything stupid.

"It's fine, Naruto. Just greeting our unwelcomed guest." Dr. Wells said as Naruto walked to Dr. Wells side.

"Guess it's too late to ask if you have a warrant to be on private property?" Naruto asked as Eiling chuckled and looked at the two men who stood by the elevator.

"Do you think we need one?" Eiling said with a chuckle as he looked Naruto up and down. "Naruto Namikaze, son of two of this country's greatest scientists. Where else would I expect to see you."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and was surprised Eiling knew who he was. "Oh, don't act so surprised. I did plenty of my own research before I came to STAR labs all those years ago. Your parents were some of this country's best and brightest minds. We could have accomplished a lot together, but they decided against it."

"My parents worked with Dr. Wells because they shared his vision. And they we're a family." Naruto said as Eiling chuckled.

"Loyalty, an admirable quality, one I see you share. Otherwise you wouldn't be beside a failed scientist. You could have made a big difference if you joined the military and put that mind of yours to work on saving this country." Eiling said.

"I prefer to make a difference in helping the country advance forward, not by taking lives." Naruto replied.

"I see you're following your parents' ideals and look where that led." Eiling said as Dr. Wells noticed Naruto getting angrier so he decided to intervene before Naruto did something stupid.

"What do you want, Wade?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Where's my assist?" Eiling asked as Dr. Wells shrugged.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dr. Wells replied.

"We tracked her here, Harrison. Turn her over before you see the rest of your precious palace crumble." Eiling threatened him.

"Wade, Wade, Wade." Dr. Wells said as he shook his head.

Eiling then motioned his men to move forward as he passed Dr. Wells. "We could have changed the world, you and I. But I guess you're happy where you are." Eiling said as he passed Dr. Wells and Naruto.

Naruto clenched his fist in anger and Dr. Wells could see small bolts of lightning generate so he pat Naruto on the shoulder to calm him down. "God, I wanted to punch him after the way he spoke about my parents." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"I know and a part of me wanted you to but General Eiling is well protected. Even with your powers, there are still enemies you can't fight." Dr. Wells said as Naruto calmed down and nodded.

"Any idea on how to get Eiling out of Central City without giving up Bette?" Naruto asked.

"I'm working on it." Dr. Wells said as they moved back to the lab.

While Naruto and Dr. Wells put General Eiling on the wrong path, Barry, Cisco and Caitlin studied Bette and Barry learned that Iris put her name on her blog about the Streak, putting her in danger. He had tried talking her out of doing this before but that only spurred her to take this blog seriously. Now, Barry needed a new strategy to deal with Iris…and he had an idea.

Iris was at Jitters, working her late shift as she cleaned up before she left. She grabbed some dirty plates and put them on the counter when she heard knocking at the front door. "Sorry, we're closed."

She heard a whoosh of air and turned to see a man in a red suit standing in the coffee shop and knew it was the one of the Streaks. "Oh my god, it's you." She said.

" **Iris West, I hear you've been writing about me."** The Flash said in a distorted voice.

"You are real. I can't believe it. I should, um…let me just clean up—"[ **Whoosh]** Iris was cut off as the Flash whooshed around the room in a blur of yellow lightning and cleaned up the dirty plates and did her job in a manner of seconds.

" **Meet me on the roof. I'll give you a head start."** The Flash said as she left for the roof.

Iris walked through the door to the roof and turned to see the Streak sitting on the roof ledge. **"I need you to stop writing about me."** The Flash said.

"There are a lot of people who need someone like you right now…to know that you're out there. You and your sidekick I saw the other night." Iris said as the mention of the sidekick made Barry chuckle because Naruto hated being called a sidekick. "I have so many questions. Where are you from?"

The flash then sped behind her. **"I can't say."** He replied.

"Who are you?" She asked.

" **I can't tell you that either."** He replied as he sped to another part of the roof.

"What about what you can do?" She asked as he didn't answer. "You're a terrible interview."

He then sped to her side. **"There's more to this than you can understand. Just trust me, please. I need you to stop."**

"Can you stop? Running into buildings and rescuing people without them even knowing you're there?" Iris asked.

" **I don't do this for the glory."** He replied.

"So, why do you?" She asked as he sped behind her. "Look, I have this friend…and he had something terrible happen to him when he was a kid. And his whole life, he's been telling stories about this impossible thing. And people laughed at him, and shrinks analyzed him. And he's been searching for an explanation ever since. But now suddenly it's like he's lost his faith. But you, you are proof that he wasn't crazy. Help me save my friend."

She turned to him as the Flash began vibrating his face so she couldn't recognize him and all she saw was a blur. **"He's a lucky guy."** He said before he sped away.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry thought about what Iris told him that night and went to STAR labs the next morning to see how Bette was doing. He walked into the Cortex to see Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco with Bette in the med bay. "Hey, what's going on?" He asked, sensing the bad vibe with the group. "Did Eiling find you?"

"No. Caitlin was about to give me the not-so-good news." Bette said.

"The shrapnel in your body has merged with you on a cellular level." Caitlin said as Bette felt like her world was crashing down.

"The technology required to unsplice your DNA…it hasn't been invented yet." Dr. Wells said as Bette tried to hold back tears.

"Bette…" Barry said.

"It's ok. Roger that, I—I just need a minute. I'm pretty sure I can cry without making stuff blow up." She said as she left the pipeline to get some air. Everyone felt horrible for Bette as they couldn't do anything to help her.

"Now what?" Cisco asked.

"I got an idea." They heard as they saw Naruto walk into the Cortex.

"Naruto, I know how much you want to help her but there isn't anything we can do at the moment to get rid of her powers." Dr. Wells told him.

"I know, but what about a way of suppressing them until we can do something." Naruto told him.

"How could we do that?" Caitlin asked as he showed them some sketches and basic elemental and energy calculations.

"We develop something to suppress her powers. We have all the scans and data on her and now we can develop a set of power dampening cuffs or bracelet to suppress her powers so she's not a ticking time bomb." Naruto said as they looked over the design and calculations and it was possible if they ran enough tests.

"This could work." Cisco said as Dr. Wells sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Dr. Wells, please. We have nothing to lose." Naruto said as Dr. Wells reluctantly nodded.

"But it's only a temporary solution. Bette won't be safe if she leaves STAR labs." Caitlin said.

"So, she joins us. Becomes a part of the team." Barry replied.

"Barry, you and Naruto have an amazing ability to help people. She makes things explode." Caitlin said to him.

"She's the first metahuman not hell-bent on destroying the city." Barry said.

"She's too dangerous." Dr. Wells replied.

"If we can make the power dampening device she won't be a danger. We're not throwing her in the pipeline." Naruto said.

"I'm not suggesting she go in and even if we could develop the power dampening cuffs, it would only be a temporary solution. But were she to remain at STAR labs, it would put all of us at risk." Dr. Wells said.

"From who, Eiling?" Barry asked.

"Eiling is a dangerous man, Barry. We do not want him as an enemy." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, we can't let Eiling take her. If he gets his hands on her, then we're just leaving her to get turned into a lab rat." Naruto said.

"And what alternative is there?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Maybe we can set her up with a new identity. Felicity can probably do that, it'll keep her safe and we can throw Eiling off her trail and get him out of Central City. The longer he stays, the more likely he'll find out about Barry and me. And I for one, don't want to be next on his little witch hunt." Naruto said as everyone nodded.

"Time will tell, Naruto. For now, let's see if we can work on those dampening cuffs you talked about." Dr. Wells said as they got to work.

They spent the entire day working on the power dampening cuffs for Bette and with her body scans, there was a possibility it would work. It would just take time. Barry left around 6pm to head back to the CCPD while Naruto worked with Caitlin and Cisco. With his powers, Naruto managed to speed read to get to Cisco's level so he wasn't slowing him down. After a ten-minute speed reading session on everything in STAR Labs, Naruto probably knew just as much as Cisco did. Probably not as much but enough so that he could help.

Around 11pm, Cisco went home to get some sleep and he'd be back first thing in the morning to get back to work. Naruto stayed behind a little longer to work on the energy issue of the cuffs. The cuffs would emit a low-level energy wave that would negate her body's ability to use the large amount of nitrogen in her body and convert it to Nitrate. Most likely when she touches something, the nitrate oxidizes rapidly in the object leading to a rapid oxidation of carbon compounds which releases large volumes of gases. Like gunpowder. Now the energy wave would prevent the oxidation process but the issue was a power source for the cuffs.

Maybe he could use a charging system to power the cuffs, but it'd have to be a serious battery for it to work. Naruto grabbed some schematic papers and was walking around STAR Labs to find Dr. Wells and get some help before he went home to get some sleep. He was looking for Dr. Wells and didn't see him in his office so he figured he was in the cortex. If he wasn't, he most likely went home but it didn't hurt to check. Naruto was walking to the cortex when he heard talking and recognized the voices as Bette and Dr. Wells.

"Cisco?" Bette called out as she looked at the scans of her body and turned to see Dr. Wells.

"He went home. I think our young Cisco is developing a bit of a crush on you." Dr. Wells said as he rolled over to her. Naruto was listening and decided not to interrupt until Dr. Wells left because he didn't want to interrupt an important or sagely conversation.

"Not sure I'm prizewinning date material anymore." Bette replied.

"Change is hard. The same accident that changed you put me in this chair." Dr. Wells told her.

"Sorry, I didn't know." She said.

"I don't share that story with you to garner sympathy. I tell it to you to illustrate a larger point." Dr. Wells said.

"And what point is that?" Bette asked.

"That I would do anything…to get back what I lost. As would you." Dr. Wells said in a very serious tone. Naruto recognized this tone as the one that Dr. Wells used when he was 100% serious and it scared him sometimes because Dr. Wells seemed to be a different person when he spoke like that.

"I would. I just don't know how." Bette replied.

"Naruto's determined to design a pair of power dampening cuffs so you're no longer a hazard to the people around you and I will work with him as long as I can but you know that it isn't a permanent solution." Dr. Wells said as he looked at her. "You soldiers, you call yourselves Sheepdogs. Am I right?"

"Happy and normal until someone attacks our flock." Bette said.

"Every good person who was changed that night, people like you…people like Naruto, Barry Allen, those people are your flock now, Bette. And General Eiling will never stop attacking that flock. And he always gets his target." Dr. Wells said. "Unless you stop him. You know your duty, sergeant. Kill Eiling. One last mission…and then you go home."

Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing, Dr. Wells just told Bette that she should kill Eiling. He could understand why that would be necessary but that was Plan Z, ultimate last choice if there was no other plan. Naruto heard Bette coming so he decided to call it a night and left. Naruto went home to get some sleep and get what he heard out of his head.

He woke up the next morning, finished his homework in 5 minutes and did some house work for Tsunade before going back to STAR Labs. He walked into the cortex to see Caitlin comforting Cisco. "What happened?" Naruto asked.

"Bette. She left." Caitlin said.

"Left? Where did she go?" Naruto asked as Dr. Wells wheeled in.

"She didn't say." Dr. Wells replied as Naruto looked at him.

"I think I got an idea of where she is. Cisco, tap back into the military feed. If Bette is out there, Eiling is probably right on her tail." Naruto said as Cisco got to work. It took him a little longer than normal because he had to make sure the military couldn't back trace his hack but he did it.

"I tapped into the military's radio feed. Looks like they've gone to the waterfront after Eiling got a call from Bette. She's turning herself in." Cisco said as Naruto looked at the screen.

"No, she's not. She's doing something else." Naruto said as he grabbed his suit and ran to the waterfront as Dr. Wells looked at Naruto's lightning trail as he left.

"Please let him get there in time." Cisco said.

Naruto ran through the city and to the waterfront and saw small smoke stacks from explosions and several military vehicles. He could see a dozen soldiers on the ground, unconscious and Bette walking towards someone with her hand out so he quickly stopped in front of her in a whoosh of air.

"What are you doing here?" Bette asked.

"Stopping you. There's a difference between fighting a war and cold blooded murder. Even if it's Eiling. Don't let him make you into a monster." Naruto said as he heard a gunshot and Bette hit the ground. Naruto's eyes filled with rage as lightning flashed in them as he quickly sped to Eiling and sucker punched him across the face and knocked him out cold. He then knelt to Bette and took off his mask. "I'm sorry, I didn't see the gun!"

Naruto tried to stop the bleeding as Bette smiled at him. "Don't be. It's not your fault. I'm glad you stopped me." Bette said as she smiled at him.

"Hang on. I'll get you to STAR Labs and Caitlin will fix you up!" Naruto said as Bette grabbed his hands.

"Naruto. Dr. Wells, he…he…" Bette struggled to say as Naruto knew.

"I know. I know." Naruto said as he nodded and Dr. Wells who was listening in on the conversation narrowed his eyebrows. Bette smiled at Naruto as she closed her eyes and her head fell to the side. Naruto exhaled in sadness at her death when he noticed her glowing. "Guys, we got a problem."

" _Is Bette ok?"_ Cisco asked.

"No. Eiling killed her. She's glowing. I think she's gonna detonate." Naruto said

" _Oh, my god. A mass that size, the explosion would be—""Devastating."_ Dr. Wells said, finishing Caitlin's sentence.

" _Naruto, you have to get her away from the city."_ Caitlin told him.

"I don't think that'll work. I won't get her out of the city in time." Naruto said as he looked at the road leading out of the city when he looked at the waterfront. "I got an idea. Can I run on water? I built up enough speed to run up a building, how fast do I need to go to run on water?"

" _Uh, assuming your weight…450 pounds of force per step for vertical suspension. Accounting for fluid drag…" "Approximately 700 miles an hour."_ Dr. Wells said, finishing Cisco's calculation. **(2)**

" _But that's not it. When you get Bette away from the city, you have to outrun the blast, or you'll die too."_ Cisco told him as Naruto nodded.

Naruto took a breath, put his mask on and took Bette into his arms. He then ran forward with his lightning trail right behind him as he was actually running on water, reaching 700 mph, and kicking up a wave of water as he ran. Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells were watching the monitor and tracking Naruto's suit's tracker as he was running out to the ocean.

Naruto made it a mile off shore and dropped Bette's body in the water and ran as fast as he could back to the city. When he got a quarter mile away from dropping off Bette, a huge underwater explosion went off that created a water cloud at least 500 feet high. With the explosion, a huge tidal wave of water spread out and rushed in all directions as Naruto raced back to ground as fast as he could. Naruto looked back and saw the tidal wave getting closer so he pushed himself as hard as he could and felt himself tapping into the same energy he felt before on the cosmic treadmill when he got that wave of visions.

"RAHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto shouted as he zoomed forward like a rocket, creating a loud sonic boom, and tumbled onto the ground safely making it to shore. Naruto took off his mask as he was breathing heavy and looked out to the water and saw the explosion dispersed and the tidal wave had turned into a small ripple of water as it got to the city.

" _Naruto! Naruto, are you ok?"_ Caitlin asked as Naruto touched his comms.

"I'm fine. I'm coming home." Naruto said as he ran back to STAR Labs.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and the group were in the cortex watching a news report on the explosion in the river and General Eiling was being interviewed but he immediately had a cover up. " _Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The military was simply conducting an underwater weapons test. There is no need for panic or alarm. Central City is safe, I guarantee you."_ Eiling said to the camera as everyone watched the screen.

"He murdered Bette right in front of me and there's nothing I can do to stop him." Naruto said in disdain and anger as Caitlin rubbed his shoulder and Barry pat him on the back.

"Powerful men have a way of avoiding consequences." Dr. Wells said.

"Bette's death won't be in vain. Eiling will get what's coming to him eventually." Naruto said with determination as he turned around and Caitlin looked at him.

"Are you ok?" Caitlin asked as Naruto smiled.

"I'm fine. I'll see you guys later." Naruto said as he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the cortex as Dr. Wells looked at him. Naruto put on his jacket and fixed his collar as he got to the elevator.

"I heard what you said to Bette. Everything." Naruto heard as he turned to see Dr. Wells.

"I figured you were listening in." Naruto said as he zipped up his jacket. "You sent her on a kill mission."

"I only told Bette the truth, you know that Naruto. I thought I saw a way to keep you safe from Eiling." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked at him.

"Keep me safe? You sent her to kill him." Naruto said.

"You said it yourself, Eiling was a danger to you, Mr. Allen, Bette and every other poor person who was changed the night the accelerator exploded. Eiling is a tactical genius and when he sets his sight on a target nothing short of a godly intervention will stop him. It was only a matter of time before he discovered you and Mr. Allen and once that happened, he will become obsessed in catching you." Dr. Wells said.

"Then we would do something else. Adapt and find a way to stop him, not kill someone in cold blood." Naruto replied as Dr. Wells smirked.

"And I admired your attitude and your beliefs Naruto but you should remember what your parents and I told you about the world when you decided to go to college to pursue your degree in physics." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"I know. Just because we can change the world for the better doesn't mean people change. You said that several times." Naruto replied.

"And it's one lesson that you must take to heart. I know the future has big plans for you, both as a scientist and as Impulse but that means there will be people at every corner who will try and break you down or take advantage of you. Look at the people already in the world: Simon Stagg, General Eiling, Dr. Thadeus Sivana. The list can go on and on and these people, once they get a glimpse at your potential they will be there to take you apart until there is nothing left." Dr. Wells warned him.

"You're being cynical." Naruto told him.

"I'm being realistic. You know me, Naruto, I've always been a realist and so were your parents. They did a lot to change the world but they understand above all that some people don't change." Dr. Wells said.

"I get that. But going after Eiling in cold blood?! And there's the fact that you kept it from the rest of us." Naruto said.

"Eiling has enough innocent blood on his hands that it would have been what he deserved. And I kept this from you and the others because I didn't want you all to bear the burden of what would happen should we succeed. Bette was a soldier who has seen combat and was more suited for the task." Dr. Wells said as Naruto began to calm down and understood Dr. Wells thinking. "You know I would never do something like this unless it was to keep you safe. Above everything else, my main goal is to protect you and everyone here."

"I know, Dr. Wells. I know. It's just that…I have these amazing powers to help people and in that moment… **[sighs]** I never felt more powerless." Naruto said as Dr. Wells moved to Naruto's side.

"I understand. When I see you run out to protect the city, I feel that it should be me bearing the burden of what you do but instead I'm confined to this chair. Bette's death is my burden to bear, but Eiling is the one who pulled the trigger, you tried to save her." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded. "Don't let her death burden you. Honor Bette's memory by making sure that nothing like this can happen again. You're already on your way there."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked as Dr. Wells handed him a data pad.

"Today was the fastest you've ever run. You achieved Mach 1." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked and saw the data from his suit recorded his speed today at 334 m/s or 767 mph.

"I broke the sound barrier." Naruto said in amazement. "I didn't think that was possible."

"It is. You achieved something amazing today, Naruto and in only a few months after first getting your powers." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"And I'll keep pushing myself, Dr. Wells. I'll honor Bette's death, and make you proud." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled. "And my first step in that is getting some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

Naruto left STAR Labs and the others followed soon as Dr. Wells remained in the cortex for a while longer to look at the scans from Bette's body and on Naruto's recent accomplishment. He heard one of the monitors beep and saw video footage from the elevators, showing General Eiling coming to see him.

Dr. Wells waited in the elevator lobby as Eiling walked out of the elevator. "What do you want, Wade?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I was wrong about you, Harrison. You're still one step ahead. Impressive for a man without the use of his legs." Eiling said.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Wade." Dr. Wells told him.

"A girl who can transform ordinary objects into explosive with the touch of her hand. Today I saw a man who can move faster than the blink of an eye. Extraordinary. The night your particle accelerator died was the night the impossible was born. I think we should start working together again, Harrison." Eiling said as Dr. Wells didn't look pleased. "Failing that, I'll take that Naruto kid instead. He's bright enough to help me and I'm sure I can make him more compliable than his parents."

"I think you should leave now, General." Dr. Wells warned him.

"You know I can have a squadron of soldiers here in minutes to take you and him by force, if necessary." Eiling threatened him.

"I can have an army of press here…like that." Dr. Wells said as he snapped his fingers. "Believe me, general, I'd be more than happy to testify to your involvement in activities that were less than humane. Threaten me or Naruto Namikaze ever again…and I will end you, general. And I'm not talking about your career."

Eiling glared as he pressed the elevator button. "You know, I figured out your little secret Wells. Won't be long before the public does as well." He said as he left.

 **End of Chapter 2**

 **1). The friends in that picture include Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Ten, Lee, Neji, Kiba, Shino, Choji and Shikamaru.**

 **2). I changed this to 700 mph when in the show, it was 650 mph.**

 **That's the end of Chapter 2 of the Crimson Speedster. Sorry it took so long, but I've been busy and updating small parts of my other stories made this story update along slowly but it finally got done. This story followed episodes four and five of season 1 with a small part on a Naruto villain and more will come in the future. I hoped you guys enjoyed it.**

 **Next chapter, the team meets an old bully from Barry's past along with an electricity thief and someone who tells Naruto there was a lot more to his parents' death than a car accident.**

 **I hoped you guys like the chapter, I'm starting to build up the relationship Naruto has with the rest of the team since he hasn't been a part of the team as long as Barry has except for with Dr. Wells. Growing up with Dr. Wells working with his parents, Naruto looks up to him like family. He looks to Caitlin like an older sister and Barry and Cisco like brothers and those relationships will continue to grow. When Barry and Felicity introduce Naruto to Oliver and his team, the relationship between him and Oliver will be different than Barry's relationship with Oliver.**

 **Barry and Oliver are friends whereas Naruto will see Oliver as a mentor. Naruto's been taught his whole life by people who were smarter than him such as his parents and Dr. Wells so being trained by Oliver who has way more experience as a hero would be like second nature to him. He won't be as confrontational like Barry during the crossover because Naruto is comfortable with being taught by people who know more than he does. And Naruto's contact and experience with Oliver and his team in Starling City won't be limited to the crossover as I have some ideas to bring just Naruto to Starling City. Naruto's intellect and skills will grow during the story as he spends more time with Dr. Wells and Cisco with a little help from his powers.**

 **In terms of other Naruto characters appearing in the story, I'm going to keep it limited to some essential people or people vital to story and background. Kabuto was a set up for Orochimaru and both he and Kabuto will feature again. Barry and the team have their meta-humans especially with Reverse Flash being Barry's nemesis, Naruto will have one as well. Tsunade and Shizune are two people who are vital to Naruto at the moment as they along with Dr. Wells care for him like family. Other characters like Hinata and Sakura will be introduced to explore Naruto's past and what has made him into the man he is today.**

 **Also with Naruto's relationship with Dr. Wells/Eobard Thawne, it's something that will go on for season 1 and come the finale when he is revealed as the Reverse Flash, there will be a lot of explaining as to why Thawne did everything and his relationship with Naruto in his future and how that changed. It's something I look forward to writing come the season 1 finale.**

 **In terms of powers and speed, the show is really inconsistent with Barry's speed throughout season 1-3 and it's obviously done for story purposes because they have to stretch it out for 23 episodes so I'm going to try and adjust that as much as possible to make it more entertaining. Obviously, not making them too fast in the beginning but making the villains more challenging and introducing other DC villains like I did with the Dr. Sivana mentioned before. I'll be explaining Naruto's connection with his powers and how he's different than Barry in other chapters.**

 **Current top speed for Naruto Namikaze AKA Impulse: Mach 1=767mph.**

 **Current abilities unlocked now**

 **Super Speed (can run on buildings and water)**

 **Accelerated healing**

 **Enhanced endurance**

 **Enhanced reflexes**

 **Improved homeostasis**

 **Enhanced mental capabilities to speed read and process information quickly**

 **And to help you visualize Naruto's costume, imagine Wally's outfit except white for the arms, shoulders, sides of his torso and legs with the red streak down the middle and no flash symbol/logo on his chest. His face part is exactly the same except Naruto has goggles.**

 **End of Chapter 2**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Flash, both properties belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**

 **NOW, THE REST OF THIS WILL INCLUDE POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THE REST OF THE STORY AFTER SEASON 1 SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW, PLEASE DON'T READ!**

 **After a lot of thinking and re-watching of Season 1, 2 and what's been shown of season 3, I've thought a lot about how Naruto will fit into the rest of the story after Season 1. Season 1 will follow as it was set with some differences but after that Naruto's role will change. Season 2 especially because it involves the multi-verse and the Legends of Tomorrow and to let everyone know now that while Barry's story won't be changed too much, Zoom will be Naruto's nemesis for Season 2 with them ultimately fighting. I know that the show made Zoom the antithesis of Barry but with the story I have planned, Zoom will focus on Naruto more than Barry. He'll still be after Barry's speed but Zoom will see Naruto as his ultimate threat. That doesn't mean Zoom is Earth 2 Naruto, he's still Hunter Zolomon. I have some ideas for other Earth Narutos and maybe even Inertia but that's way off in the future.**

 **With Season 2, I plan to have Naruto's story drift off by having him join the Legends of Tomorrow. It's a new show to the Arrowverse that I love and I think having a speedster and Naruto especially will make it better especially when dealing with the Legion of Doom. That doesn't mean Naruto isn't going to be a part of Team Flash. Luckily, with time travel Naruto can come and go with ease and still help out the team on serious stuff like Zoom and Savitar.**

 **The reason I did this is because after watching a lot of season 3 and seeing how Wally got into the role of Kid Flash and as a side kick, I didn't want that for Naruto. And seeing with Jay Garrick and Jessie, the number of speedsters has increased and it is a little cluttered. I want him to grow into his own as Impulse as a hero, not as The Flash's sidekick or play a secondary role to him and to do that and not take away from Barry's story was to separate them. That means Naruto can grow on his own but still help his friends. I thought that having Naruto's story diverge in Season 2 and work with the legends was a perfect way of making this his story and not The Flash and his sidekick, which is some helpful criticism I've been getting.**

 **Some people might not like this but I felt this was the best decision to do in the future as it gives Naruto his own story, chances for him to shine yet still be a part of Barry and Team Flash's adventures but as his own hero. Especially since the end of Season 2 and Season 3 with Flashpoint and Savitar is because of Barry and his decisions. Since it sets up a lot of Season 3, I didn't want to change it and having Naruto with the legends gives me a way to have Naruto avoid Flashpoint yet come back during Season 3 and help Barry deal with the repercussions.**

 **I know that this decision might anger some of you but please at least wait until I start publishing the first few chapters of the season 2 arc before you pass judgement.**


	5. Chapter 3

**Here is the third chapter of The Crimson Speedster. Naruto and Barry's prowess with their new powers continues to grow as they encounter new meta-humans, new tests with their relationships and crucial markers for their future. Enjoy!**

 _My name is Barry Allen and I'm one of the fastest men alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother get killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Than an accident made me the impossible. To the outside world, I'm an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I used my speed to fight crime and find other people like me. And one day, I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father. I am…the Flash._

 _Before the Particle Accelerator explosion, I had a very set belief of principles on how the world works. Rules like gravity kept people on the ground, the sun heated the planet and theoretical elements were theoretical. After my parents' death, I gave up on my path in science but after the Particle Accelerator explosion, my body changed in ways that I never imagined. It restarted my life and now I know what to do. I will use my speed to help Barry and everyone keep this city safe and make my parents proud. Meet Central City's newest Speedster, Impulse._

 **The Crimson Speedster: The Legends Begin**

Ever since Bette's death at the hand of General Eiling, Naruto dedicated more of his spare time to training to his speed, body, and mind to make sure that nothing like that could happen again. That meant he spent more time on the _Cosmic Treadmill_ as Cisco dubbed it and in the training room to keep pushing his powers while also spending as much time on the last stretch of his college work and reading up on everything to get onto the same page as Cisco and Dr. Wells.

After Dr. Wells revealed to Naruto that he was fast enough to break the sound barrier, it started a bit of a friendly competition between him and Barry to see who would eventually be faster. Other than that, nothing else happened. No new metahuman or crisis they had to deal with so their spare time was kept with making sure the city was safe and stopping any crimes in progress. Soon, more news and rumors about mysterious blurs racing throughout the city began spread. Social media and blogs were lit up with posts and stories about a blur or a rush of wind racing past them and then robbers being knocked out for the cops or people rescued from buildings. And with Iris's blog still up, it only fed the fire and made Joe ever more uncomfortable.

It was late at night and Iris was at Jitters, having finished a late shift and was spending some time on her laptop to update her blog on _the Streak._ She finished her last and pressed post, closing her laptop and got ready to leave when she was whisked away in a whoosh of air and found herself on the roof again. **"You're welcome."** She heard as she turned to see _the Streak_.

"How did you-? I literally just hit send." Iris said.

" **Speed reading."** The Flash replied.

"It's crazy what you can do to your voice." Iris said as The Flash super sped behind her, causing her to turn around.

" **You need to stop writing your blog."** The Flash told her.

"People need to know that you exist." Iris said to him as her cellphone rang with a call. She saw it was Eddie and hit ignore. "What else can you do?"

The Flash ran around her once before stopping at the other end of the roof. **"This is not an interview."** The Flash told her.

"Come on, you've got to give me something. Hobbies, pet peeves, favorite color. Wait, scratch that last one. Red, obviously." Iris said.

" **You're not hearing me."** Flash replied.

"My hearing is fine, it's just selective." Iris told him. "What should I call you?"

" **Anything but the Streak."** The Flash told her.

"Ok, suggestions? How about the Blur? And for your sidekick, he can be called the Streak." Iris told him as Flash chuckled.

" **Impulse doesn't like to be called a sidekick."** Flash said as Iris smiled.

"Impulse?" Iris asked as Barry mentally kicked himself as he just told her Naruto's alter-ego as he super sped behind her. "So, your partner named himself. How come he's not here with you?"

" **He doesn't need to be, but we both agree on this. You need to stop."** The Flash said. **"You told me that you were writing your blog to inspire hope in your friend. How would he feel if doing that put you in harm's way?"**

"He and I aren't exactly on the same page these days. Besides, you're giving hope to a lot of people. So, I'm doing this for them." Iris said as the sounds of police sirens could be heard a few blocks away and getting closer.

" **To be continued. Gotta run."** Flash said as he ran away.

"Wait, you can't just leave me up— **[Whoosh]** here." Iris said as she was suddenly back in Jitters.

While Barry was dealing with Iris and now the police incident, Naruto was just going over his parents' collaborative notebook that had a lot of detailed notes and calculations on a project they wanted to pursue before their accident. He first found it when he went through the box of his parents' stuff when he went through their notes for any clues on what happened to him when he first got his powers. He set it aside because the notes looked interesting and since then he's read over it dozens of times. They were planning to develop a new method of clean, renewable energy that was years ahead of geo-thermal or fusion reactors. They called it the ARC Reactor, a clean and renewable energy source that could run forever and give off enough energy to power a city depending on the scale and design.

The ARC Reactor would theoretically use Palladium as a grounding mechanism and as reactant while Repulsor technology would be the means of power for the reactor. Repulsor energy is created by taking excess electrons and turning them into muons, which can penetrate deep into atomic matter and provide a tremendous amount of propulsive force. There wasn't any current application of this tech but this could one of them. When the muon energy from the repulsor met with the palladium, it generated plasma and once that was generated within the electromagnetic ring of the reactor, it would perpetuate and run for a long period of time, giving off the renewable energy.

It was safer than an atomic fusion reactor but the only flaw was that it never made it past the theoretical phase. His parents only did the beginning calculations and designs for the reactor before the car accident, so Naruto was thinking that he could work on this to honor their memory. Maybe even incorporate some calculations or designs from his senior thesis on Hydrogen fuel possibilities to make it work. Naruto did some of his own calculations and decided to go see Dr. Wells to have him look and ask for his help to try and make this a reality. He grabbed his jacket, the notebook and walked out of his room to see Tsunade in the kitchen. Naruto walked over to the fridge and grabbed a cream soda and took a sip.

"Hey, Tsunade." Naruto said as he took a sip and saw she was really engrossed in a section of the paper.

"Hey, Naruto. Did you read the paper at all?" Tsunade asked as Naruto shook his head no, walked over and read the article she was referring to. _**"Injuries and hospital visits shoot up: Growing Concern."**_

"What's going on? A meta-human?" Naruto asked.

"No. It says that there's been an increase in civilian injuries and hospital visits who were attempting to get sights of the rumored Streak." Tsunade said as Naruto cursed.

"Crap." Naruto said as he sat down next to her to read. _"The recent increase of people visiting crime scenes and dangerous areas around the city is in response to the surge of unsubstantiated reports and blogs of the fabled Streak in Central City. The rumored Streak, as seen in amateur photos of the red and white streaks throughout the city has fueled civilian interest in discovering if the Streaks exist. The amount of information on the Streaks is limited at this point, with a majority of the reports coming from the blog of one Iris West, whose blog is responsible for a majority of the civilian interests. However, this has resulted in numerous visits to the hospital of people searching for a glimpse of the Streaks. The latest tally of hospital visits this path month of people trying to get a glimpse of the Streaks is in the reported hundred although an exact number is hard to determine. The police have yet to issue comment on the existence of the Streaks and what steps are being taken to keep the citizens of Central Safe from the threats of rumors."_

"Aw, man. This isn't good." Naruto said as he rubbed his head.

"I know. Even some of the kids have heard rumors of the Streak and Shizune and I are doing everything we can to keep them from running out there and getting into trouble just for a chance to see you or Barry in action." Tsunade said as Naruto rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry, I never wanted this." Naruto said as Tsunade pat his hand and smiled.

"I know, but it was bound to happen. You and Barry aren't invisible and as long as you go out there, doing what you do, this will only be the beginning." Tsunade said as she got up to get a cup of coffee.

"Ok, so what should I do?" Naruto asked as Tsunade thought for a moment.

"The way I see it, there are two options. Option 1, you and Barry go public and the people of Central City know that the Flash, Impulse and meta-humans exist in the city." Tsunade said as Naruto thought for a moment.

"While I like the idea of not having to hide from the public, if people learned that meta-humans exist, I'm worried about the public backlash. What's the second option?" Naruto asked.

"Option 2, you find a way to stop these rumors about the Flash. You said that Barry's friend, Iris writes a blog." Tsunade said.

"Yeah, and Barry trying to stop her didn't work. I think he just likes that when Iris speaks to him when he's the Flash, he isn't her friend but something else." Naruto said as Tsunade nodded.

"Ah, unrequited love. Such a classic. Well, maybe you should talk to her. Get her to understand the consequences of what she's doing. Just some something to consider." Tsunade said a she kissed him on the head and left.

Naruto got up and super sped to STAR Labs and went to Level 600 where the Cortex was to talk to Dr. Wells. He walked in just as Caitlin and Cisco arrived from dinner. "Hey guys." Naruto said as they greeted him back.

"Evening, Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he greeted them.

"Check the math. Your dispersal models don't correlate." Caitlin told Cisco.

"Uh, they do if you factor in the seasonal fluctuations in reproduction cycles." Cisco said as Naruto and Dr. Wells were confused.

"What exactly are we debating?" Dr. Wells asked.

"The average number of bugs Barry and Naruto swallow in a day of running." Cisco said as Naruto gagged.

"Egh, don't want to know." Naruto told them as they walked to the cortex.

"I look forward to seeing you accept your Nobel." Dr. Wells joked.

They walked into the cortex when Naruto noticed something on the floor and saw it was Barry. "Barry!" Naruto shouted as he, Cisco and Caitlin walked over to see if he was ok. "Barry, say something!"

They rolled him over and saw the bad bruise and blood on his mouth. "Ow." Barry said as they helped him to the gurney and Caitlin began helping him. She patched him up, gave him some pain medication and was putting a brace on his right hand and forearm.

"13 fractures. That's a new record and that's just in your hand. You also have a concussion, three cracked ribs, and a bruised spleen. Even with your powers, you'll need a few hours to heal." Caitlin said as Barry nodded.

"Dude, what did you hit? A wrecking ball?" Naruto asked.

"No. It was a man. A big, bad man. His skin changed when I hit him. Like it turned to metal." Barry said.

"Interesting. A man of steel." Dr. Wells said.

"Oh, I like that." Naruto replied.

"So, you went after a meta-human alone? Dude, why didn't you call us?" Cisco asked.

"I didn't know what he was. **[Grunts in pain]** Besides, I was off duty." Barry said as Caitlin and Naruto looked at him.

"Hmm." They both said as Barry looked at them.

"You're lucky he didn't knock out your teeth. Those puppies don't grow back." Cisco told him.

"Strange thing is, I felt like I knew him." Barry said.

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked.

"He said something that was familiar. But he's gonna hurt someone. So, how do I fight a guy that's made of steel?" Barry asked.

"We will find a way. Tonight, you heal." Dr. Wells told him as Barry nodded and laid back on the gurney to rest. Dr. Wells then walked over to the computers to see Naruto with his father's old notebook. "I remember that notebook. Your parents best collaborative work, after you of course. They had an interesting plan to design in the future."

"The ARC Reactor. That's what I came here to talk to you about. I was wondering if you think it's possible for something like this to work. I've read over my parents' notebook dozens of times and I have all the math and science memorized. Do you think we can make a prototype?" Naruto asked as Dr. Wells looked at the notebook.

"It's possible. But these designs and calculations are incomplete." Dr. Wells told him as Naruto smiled.

"Then we'll just have to complete them." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled and they got to work.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Barry had healed up and was fine but still sore. He went to work, Caitlin and Cisco were off doing their own things, Naruto went to his only morning class and then after that he went back to STAR labs to work on the equations for the ARC Reactor. Dr. Wells had him and Naruto move to Level 540 to work. It used to be Naruto's parents' own designated floor where Naruto's dad's office was but wasn't being used for anything else now.

Naruto was drinking some water as he and Dr. Wells looked at the white board of energy and dimension calculations for a prototype ARC reactor that would be set up in STAR Labs. The issue was that they were looking over the calculations and it was driving them insane as they tried to figure out the palladium/muon calculations that would perpetuate the energy field and constantly create energy yet all their calculations would either ensure the reactor wouldn't work or would blow up.

"Son of a bitch this is irritating." Naruto said as he put his water down and began chewing his pen.

"Well that is the nature of science, Naruto." Dr. Wells told him as he sipped some tea.

"Yeah, I know that. I vividly remember the long nights. But this is just getting ridiculous." Naruto commented.

"Well, we've only been working on it for a day. Your parents worked on this for years and only got to this point." Dr. Wells said.

"Then how long will this take us?" Naruto asked.

"Weeks, months, years?" Dr. Wells told Naruto causing him to exhale in frustration. "But don't worry, the answers will come to us. We just need to give it time."

"Maybe. You'd think with my speed-enhanced mind that this would be easier but it's not. Ugh, I could use a break. Maybe, there's something in my thesis that will spark an idea." Naruto said as he finished his glass of water when they saw the computer beep, signaling that someone was in the elevator. They looked as the computer brought up the image and showed Detective West in the elevator.

"What's Joe doing here?" Naruto asked.

"Let's go find out." Dr. Wells said as they went to meet him by the elevator.

The elevator doors opened and Detective West walked out and smiled at Dr. Wells and Naruto. "Dr. Wells, Naruto." Joe said as Naruto and Dr. Wells smiled and nodded.

"Detective. If you're worried about Barry, don't be. He's all healed up, he should be at the police station if you're looking for him." Dr. Wells said as Joe nodded.

"Yeah, I saw him but that's not what this is about. I came here to see you. I need your help solving an old case." Joe said.

"What case is that?" Dr. Wells asked.

"The murder of Barry's mother." Joe said as Dr. Wells and Naruto nodded.

They moved to one of the main labs, just like the cortex on floor 600 where Joe showed them all the evidence and information they had on Barry's mother's dead from 14 years ago. Witness testimony, physical evidence, crime scene photos and Barry's mother's autopsy were all there. Naruto digitized some of them to help the organization so Naruto and Dr. Wells were up to speed. Dr. Wells told Naruto that he didn't need to do this but Naruto was more than happy to help and give an extra pair of fresh eyes to the case.

"Barry described a tornado of red and yellow lightning in his house, with a man in yellow. Then, bam, he's blocks away, on the street, doesn't know how he got there. When I arrived, the place was a wreck." Joe said.

"Nora Allen is dead." Dr. Wells said.

"Single stab wound to the heart. Henry Allen covered in her blood." Joe finished.

"Despite all the evidence that Henry Allen is guilty…now you believe this man in yellow is responsible?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Last night, I saw Barry rescue a young boy from being run over and it looked exactly like Barry explained happened to him." Joe said.

"Like this?" Naruto asked as he super sped back and forth in the cortex in a blur of white/orange lightning.

"Exactly. It got me thinking, what if somebody with Barry and Naruto's abilities killed Nora?" Joe asked.

"There's just one flaw with your theory, detective, and that is all of this happened 14 years ago. Which is long before—""Your machine gave Barry his powers." Joe finished his sentence.

"An accident gave Barry and Naruto their powers." Dr. Wells said.

"Do you think it is possible that somebody with their super speed could have existed before the explosion?" Joe asked.

"Detective, I deal in probabilities as a scientist. And in this case, it's highly unlikely." Dr. Wells told him.

"Maybe we can look at it another way?" Naruto asked as Joe looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

"Well, now that we think a speedster or someone with speedster powers did this we should focus on why?" Naruto said as they looked at him, curious as to what he meant. "I've watched enough _Law & Order, Criminal Minds_ and _Castle_ to know that random murders are highly unlikely. There has to be a motive."

" _Castle_?" Dr. Wells asked.

"What? It's Nathan Fillion, Captain Malcom Reynolds can do no wrong. Besides, Stana Katic is beautiful." Naruto joked as Dr. Wells and Joe chuckled. "Anyway, I know they're shows but the percentage of random murders should be extremely low, especially if we're considering the fact that this guy might have powers. So, if he's out there, why kill Barry's mom? Why not the family next door? Or in another city?"

"Naruto does make a point. The percentage of random murders is not that high. So, what would our killer's motive be?" Joe asked.

"That's the million-dollar question. Along with how this person might have powers." Dr. Wells said as they nodded.

"All right, I've been doing a lot of work today, and now I need a coffee break. Do you guys want anything?" Naruto asked as he grabbed his jacket.

"Yeah, hazelnut creamer and two sugars." Joe said.

"Espresso, please." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded and super sped to Jitters.

He walked in and to the counter, seeing Iris placing cookies in one of the jars and talking to the barista. "Hey, Iris." Naruto said as he waved and she waved back. Naruto placed his order and was waiting for it to finish, playing with his phone to kill time.

"Hey, Iris. Long time no see." Naruto heard as he and Iris looked up to see a tall, muscle head walk in. From the way he spoke, he seemed to know her. "I got to say, Iris. You, look amazing."

Naruto noticed how he walked and talked and could tell the guy was either a conceited asshole or a muscle-head jock, either one. "Thanks, Tony. Um, you too." Iris replied, surprised and not happy to see him.

"Oh, yeah. I keep in shape. Got a gym at my place. Been living out in Keystone. The west side. You should uh, stop by some time." Tony said.

"So, uh, can I get you a drink?" Iris asked, trying to walk away and possibly make it behind the counter to gain some distance but he walked closer. He passed Naruto without a second glance, so Naruto decided to switch his phone to video and record him. He had a bad feeling about this guy.

"Actually, I came to see you." Tony said.

"How did you know I was here?" Iris asked.

"Been reading up on the Streak and his sidekick. Found your little blog. Impulse? That's a stupid name." Tony said as Naruto's eyes widened, how did Iris or Tony know his alias. Oh, Barry was gonna get his ass kicked. "Why are you writing about these losers?"

"People say they're heroes." Iris told him.

"I say the Streak's a coward. I happen to know that he took a beating last night and ran off like a little girl. You should write about that. Do you, uh, have any idea who leather boy is?" Tony asked.

"No clue. So, um, if you don't want to drink, I should get back to work." Iris said as she tried to leave.

"Actually, I'd like to buy you a drink. What time are you off?" Tony asked.

"Thanks, Tony, but I don't think my boyfriend would approve. He's a cop, like my dad." Iris said.

"I never really did like cops too much." Tony said as Iris glanced at Naruto who was looking at her. He subtlety gestured to the TV screen and it showed Tony's picture and description and that he was wanted by the police.

"Well, he's picking me up for the policemen's ball. Wall to wall, cops. Couldn't swing a cat around. I should probably call him to see where he is." Iris said as she took out her phone.

"Give me the phone, Iris. Now!" He shouted as she gave it to him. Naruto watched as Tony's hand and arm turned into metal and he crushed her phone like a soda can. He crushed it and put it in the tip jar.

"Sorry." Tony said as he took out a huge wad of 20's and put it in the jar. "We'll pick this up some other time."

Tony then left as Naruto quickly put his phone away and acted casual as his drink order arrived. He then quickly ran back to STAR Labs and to the lab where he saw Joe and Dr. Wells still working.

"Ah, right on time." Joe said.

"We've got a problem." Naruto told them.

"What is it?" Dr. Wells asked.

"The meta-human who beat up Barry. He was at Jitters." Naruto said as Joe and Wells were shocked.

"You saw him?" Joe asked.

"Oh, yeah. It was definitely him. Tony Woodward. Here." Naruto said as he took out his phone and showed them the video. "And he was there for Iris."

"Iris?" Joe asked.

"She's fine. He left, but Joe he sounded a bit obsessed with her and when she mentioned you and Eddie, he didn't sound so happy. But I think I know why he's obsessed with her." Naruto said as he sat down at the computers and began typing.

"Why?" Joe asked as Naruto finished typing and activated the big monitor in the room to show them Iris's blog on the Streak with the latest post from last night about the Streak and his sidekick, Impusle. Wells and Joe saw this and immediately got worried.

"He's obsessed with Barry. He wants another fight and to beat him. He's been reading Iris's blog about us." Naruto said as Joe rubbed his head.

"I knew this was gonna get her in trouble." Joe said.

"I thought Barry talked to her?" Wells asked.

"I doubt that's going to work. And even worse, he slipped my name to her." Naruto said as he rubbed his forehead. "I think Barry's feeling for Iris aren't letting him think clearly on this one. With Iris's blog, the more people who know about us, the more we'll attract new evil meta-humans who want to kill us. And the more people will get hurt."

"Hurt?" Joe asked as Naruto brought up the article Tsunade showed him.

"Tsunade showed this to me, last night. The surge of accidents and visits to the emergency room have sky-rocketed since Iris's blog went up. And it doesn't look like she's gonna stop soon." Naruto said as they were all concerned.

"Well, Tony won't be around much longer. If he's got a place out at Keystone, we'll find him. Barry was with Eddie when they found the hummer Tony stole. He'll have taken some of the evidence here to get it examined." Joe said.

"We can analyze the evidence and narrow down where Mr. Woodward might be. And once we do, we'll put him in the pipeline." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked at the posts on Iris's blog and got an idea.

"And I think I know how to deal with Iris's blog. You guys go tell Barry and the others, I'll be up in a second." Naruto said as Joe and Dr. Wells went to tell Barry, Caitlin and Cisco what Naruto found out while Naruto made a quick call to Felicity to get something.

Line Break xxxxx

The sun had set on Central City as Dr. Wells was working with Cisco to determine the type of metal Tony Woodward could turn his skin to and use that to narrow down where he might be. Joe told Barry not to worry and that he'd have extra officers on her to keep her safe. While they did that, Caitlin noticed that Naruto hadn't joined them. He was currently in uniform on his way to handle the Iris situation.

Speaking of Iris, she was waiting at Jitters for the Streak after sending him a message on her blog. She had information on someone that she thought he needed to lock up. She was sitting at one of the tables, waiting for the Streak to show up any minute now since she sent the message about 10 minutes ago.

Suddenly, there was a whoosh of air that breezed past her and she knew he was here. "I guess you got my message." She said as she turned and didn't see the red-clad Streak but instead a white and dark orange colored man. She couldn't see his face because it was covered by a mask and it was vibrating.

" **Iris West, we need to talk."** Impulse said in a serious tone.

"Oh my god, it's you. Impulse. Your boss told me about you." Iris said as Impulse sped behind her.

" **He's not my boss…and I'm not his sidekick."** Impulse told her as Iris turned around.

"Sorry. I just figured that since he came to talk to me that he was in charge." Iris said.

" **The reason he went to speak to you is the same reason I'm here. To tell you to stop what you're doing, Ms. West."** Impulse told her as Iris understood what he meant.

"The Streak told me the same thing. But you guys need to understand that there are people out there that need to know about you. They need to know what you do and that you're out there. Don't tell me that it wouldn't be nice to have people out there thanking you." Iris said.

" **We don't do this for the thanks or the fame. The situation is a lot more complicated than you can even begin to understand. You need to stop."** Impulse told her.

"I'm sorry but I can't. You don't understand that the people of this city need to know about you two. You two are inspiring hope to a lot of people that need it. And I'm not going to stop until everyone believes in you." Iris said.

" **Even if that means putting yourself in harm's way. I saw the message you posted on your blog. Tony Woodward, he was here."** Impulse said.

"I never mentioned his name." Iris said.

" **I'm resourceful. You need to stay away from this, Ms. West. He's dangerous**." Impulse told her.

"I knew him when we were kids. He didn't want to hurt me, he wanted to impress me. But he's fixated on the Streak and you and not in a good way. And he's different, he can change his body. I saw him turn his fist into metal." Iris said as she looked at Impulse. "He's like you and the Streak."

" **Yes, and writing about us is what brought him to you. It put a target on your back."** Impulse said.

"I know but maybe I can talk to him." Iris said.

" **No. He's too dangerous. He may want to impress you but if you piss him off he'll put you in the hospital or worse, in the morgue. That's what you fail to understand, Ms. West is that you may think writing about us is altruistic but, it's putting a lot of people in danger and not just yourself."** Impulse told her as she was confused.

"What are you talking about?" Iris asked.

" **Your blog has been attributing to the recent surge of hospital visits and injuries in the city."** Impulse said as he super sped around and laid a newspaper on a table with the page turned to the article he was talking about. **"You may think you're doing a good thing by writing about us but all you're doing is putting people in danger."**

"No, this can't be right." Iris said as she read the article.

" **It is, Ms. West. So long as you keep writing about us, more people will go seek us out and get hurt. This is your last warning, stop now."** Impulse told her.

"I…I can't. This may be bad but it also means that the people of Central City are starting to believe in you two. Believe enough to go out there and see you in action. You may think this is a bad thing but it's good, more than you know. And that's why I can't stop." Iris told him as Impulse shook his head.

" **Very well, Ms. West. Then that's why I'm doing what I'm doing."** Impulse said as he pulled out his phone and pressed send on a message.

Iris's phone got a message and when she checked it, she saw that her blog was being hacked into and it then crashed with an error message saying that the web page was deleted and couldn't be found. "What did you do?!" Iris shouted as she tried to find her blog but kept getting the error message.

" **What I had to do to protect the Flash and myself. Stay away from this, Ms. West. This is your last warning."** Impulse said he left the building, seeing police officers arrive to pick up Iris.

Naruto was running through the city, feeling a bit guilty for what he did to Iris but relieved and glad. He hoped that with Iris's blog officially down thanks to Felicity's hacking code, it would decrease the civilian interest in the Flash and Impulse and people going out there to see them in action. If there wasn't a blog reporting on their actions then they wouldn't know where to go and there was no way the police were going to mention that two strangers with powers were solving all the crime in the city.

Naruto was running past his school when his comm system beeped. "Naruto, here." Naruto answered.

" _Naruto, it's Caitlin. We found out where Tony Woodward might be staying."_ Caitlin said.

"Oh, that's good. So, did Joe send the CCPD?" Naruto asked.

" _That's the bad news. Barry left before we could stop him and he turned off his comm."_ Cisco said as Naruto understood.

"All right, I'm on my way to back him up. Where am I going?" Naruto asked.

" _The old, defunct Keystone Ironworks. I'm sending the address to your goggles_." Cisco said as Naruto got the address and super sped there. He got in to see the place was trashed and no sign of Tony. Naruto walked over to the tipped metal shelves and saw Barry.

"Barry! Barry talk to me! Say something." Naruto said as he grabbed Barry and pulled him from underneath.

"Everything hurts…" Barry moaned as Naruto exhaled in relief.

"This is why is helps to have a partner." Naruto said as he grabbed Barry and super sped back to STAR Labs but before he left, he pulled the fire alarm to signal the police.

Barry was put on the gurney as Caitlin helped him. They informed Dr. Wells and Joe about Tony and that Barry was ok. He also told them that he took care of the Iris situation. "What were you thinking? What were you thinking?! I told you that we would figure out a way to defeat Mr. Woodward." Dr. Wells scolded Barry.

"I'll heal." Barry replied.

"You can't heal if your dead. He could have killed you." Barry said.

"I know, all right? I know! In the past 36 hours, I've had my ass handed to me twice by the guy who tortured me as a kid. I couldn't stop him then and I can't stop him now. Even with my powers, I'm still powerless against him." Barry told them.

"Not necessarily. Cisco." Dr. Wells said as Cisco brought up the information on Tony. "Any material, if struck at a high enough velocity can be compromised."

"We ran an analysis on the metal in Tony's footprint. Based on its density and atomic structure, if you impact it at just the right angle at just the right speed you could do some serious damage." Cisco said.

"How fast would Barry need to go?" Naruto asked.

"Factoring in the metal's tensile strength, estimated dermal thickness, atmosphere pressure, air temp…you'd have to hit him at approximately…Mach 1.1." Cisco said as Barry chuckled.

"You want Barry to hit something at 800 miles an hour?" Caitlin asked.

"844 miles per hour, actually." Cisco corrected her.

"That's faster then the speed of sound." Caitlin said.

"I know. He would create a sonic boom which, as I said before, would be awesome." Cisco said, excited at the idea.

"I haven't even broke Mach 1. I've never gone that fast." Barry replied.

"Yet." Dr. Wells informed him.

"I can't believe we're actually entertaining this idea. I mean, he'd need a straight shot from miles away." Caitlin said.

"Yeah, 5.3 miles, theoretically." Cisco said.

"Do it right, and you'll take him down." Dr. Wells said.

"Do it wrong, you'll shatter every bone in your body." Caitlin told Barry, worried.

"Look, Barry…if you're not up to it, I can take on Tony. I'm already at Mach 1, I think I can handle the Mach punch." Naruto said as Cisco smiled.

"Oh, that's dope." Cisco said as he high-fived him.

"Naruto, I appreciate this but it's my fight." Barry said.

"I know, but that's what partners are for. Taking care of each other's problems when the other can't. I already handled the Iris situation so I'm more than happy to help here as well." Naruto said as Barry looked at him.

"What do you mean the Iris situation?" Barry asked as he looked at Naruto.

"Oh, well I know with Iris writing the blog about the meta-human related incidents in the city and that she was fixated on the Flash and Impulse, thanks for giving her my name by the way." Naruto said as Cisco, Caitlin and Dr. Wells looked at Barry who nervously shrugged. "And seeing how you're talks haven't dismayed her I gave it a shot. So, I made a call to Felicity and she sent me one of her handy hacking programs. I spoke to Iris to get her to try and understand and when that didn't work I uploaded the hack and it took down her blog and made it completely untraceable. Score one, for Impulse."

"You went to handle the situation with Iris without talking to me?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, after I told Dr. Wells and Joe they gave me the go ahead." Naruto said.

"And what the hell did you think you were doing?" Barry asked, angry.

"Whoa, Barry. I did us all a favor. Besides, you haven't been able to stop Iris so I tried." Naruto said.

"I was handling the situation." Barry said and Naruto looked at him with an _'are you kidding'_ expression.

"Really? Because was your late-night rendezvous the other night was handling the situation or an attempt at flirting?" Naruto asked as Barry got in his face.

"I never asked you to handle the situation. When it comes to Iris, you stay out of it!" Barry shouted as Cisco got in between them.

"Ok, let's take a deep breath." Cisco said as he kept them apart.

"Barry, calm down." Caitlin tried to calm him.

"Ok, first off a thank you would have been nice. Second, you didn't need to ask me because we're partners in this, Barry. I'm not your sidekick despite what you told Iris, I'm your partner. Third, I was doing this to keep us safe because you can't separate your feelings for Iris to do what needed to be done." Naruto said.

"She's my best friend." Barry said.

"I know and you care for her more than that and that's why I did this. Because you were unable to. That's what good partners do, they handle the situations the other can't. And besides, what I did was not only to keep us safe but a lot of other people as well." Naruto said.

"What are you talking about?" Barry asked as Naruto super sped away and returned with a newspaper.

"There's been a recent surge of hospitalizations and accidents by people who believe all the random encounters and posts about the Flash and Impulse. And the posts about us coming from Iris's blog were increasing the accidents. Even some of the kids at the shelter were thinking of going out there to try and find us, Barry! So, you may think I did this to spite you or get in the way of your ridiculous situation with Iris but I did this to keep people safe!" Naruto shouted in response as everyone could tell how serious he was. "I'm done for the night."

Naruto grabbed his jacket and left in a huff. There was a moment of awkward silence when Caitlin decided to run after Naruto and make sure he was ok. Cisco left and Dr. Wells looked at Barry who exhaled in frustration and walked away.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry walked into the CCPD the next morning, feeling lousy about yelling Naruto and sore after Tony kicked his ass for the second time. He walked through the lobby when Joe called him.

"Barry, hey Barr!" Joe said.

"Joe, I feel lousy enough today." Barry said as Joe stopped him.

"Hold on. We got to Tony Woodward's hideout but it was trashed and he was long gone. What the hell happened?" Joe asked.

"He got the drop on me. I thought I could stop him this time. I tried." Barry said.

"Look, I know what this punk put you through but you can't let emotion cloud your judgement. You have a partner now and friends who can help." Joe said and Barry nodded as Eddie walked up to them.

"Toll-booth camera got a shot of Woodward. Stolen car headed out of town. The State Police are taking over. We lost him." Eddie said as Barry sighed.

"Don't worry, Eddie. They'll get him." Joe said.

"I wanted to take this guy down." Eddie said.

"Not as much as I did." Barry replied.

"Let's go, Allen." Eddie said.

"Go where?" Barry asked as Eddie climbed the stairs and took off his jacket.

"To blow off some steam. I need to hit something." Eddie said as Barry looked at Joe like he was crazy.

"I don't think he meant hit you. Go." Joe said as Barry reluctantly followed Eddie.

Joe then left the CCPD for an appointment with Dr. Wells. Barry spent the rest of the day with Eddie while Naruto went to his classes. When he went home to the shelter last night, he told Tsunade that he stepped in with the blog issue and she noted that without it up, the kids at the shelter didn't have anything to act on. It was a good step but she also told him that unless he planned to nuke the internet to keep other posts and blogs about the Flash and Impulse down, he'd have to come up with a permanent solution.

It was around 3 o'clock when Naruto went to STAR labs to go back to working on the calculations for the ARC Reactor. If someone walked into the lab where Naruto was working, they would see papers with scrap calculations and books on every related notion of science scattered throughout the room along with food wrappers from candy bars and cup ramen.

Naruto was working out the math for the projected energy consumption the ARC Reactor would need to initiate the reaction when he heard the sound of someone stepping on a Pringles bottle. He turned and saw it was Caitlin.

"Geez, how much junk food did you eat?" Caitlin asked as she picked up the Pringle bottle.

"Hey, I have a super high metabolism. And I stress eat when I'm stuck on a problem." Naruto said as Caitlin stepped over a bag of Doritos.

"Yeah, but still this amount can't be healthy." Caitlin said as she moved some Gatorade bottles off a chair. "Can you clean this up?"

"Hang on." Naruto said as he then super sped around the room in a blur of white and orange lightning and in approximately 3 seconds, the room was clean and all the garbage was in a black garbage bag. "Done. So, did you need something?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. Things got a little intense last night. Are you ok?" Caitlin asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. I was a little steamed but nothing Shizune's homemade Boston Cream Cake couldn't fix." Naruto said with a smile as he grabbed a marker.

"Naruto." Caitlin said in an older sister tone, trying to get him to say what was on his mind.

"All right. A little peeved…sure. But I'm not going to hold a grudge like that. Besides, he was in a bad mood after getting his butt kicked by Tony for the second time." Naruto said as Caitlin smacked him in the back of the head. "Ow. What was that for?"

"Barry's going through a lot so cut him some slack." Caitlin said as Naruto nodded as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Ok, jeez. You could have taken off your rings before you hit me." Naruto said as Caitlin smiled. "I'm fine, really. When Barry's ready to talk, we'll bury this."

"Good. So, what are you working on? Something for school?" Caitlin asked.

"Not exactly. It was something my parents wanted to do before they died. It's called the ARC Reactor. Next generation self-sustaining clean energy source. Years ahead of geo-thermal, even nuclear power." Naruto said as Caitlin was amazed.

"Really? How powerful?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, based on some of my parents' old schematics and data, the reactor they planned to build here at STAR labs would generate more electricity than the largest nuclear reactor in the country." Naruto said as Caitlin was impressed.

"The Palo Verde plants in Arizona?" Caitlin asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yup, and the largest one generates about 4,000 MW of electricity a day at optimal levels. The ARC Reactor, could generate twice that. That would be enough to fuel Central City for 6 months." Naruto said with excitement. "If I could get it to work."

"Oh, stuck?" Caitlin asked.

"More like vexed by this stupid problem. The schematics and equations for the reactor were never finished so I'm trying to fill in the gaps. Once there done, I can run simulations and maybe even built a prototype. If I do that, it would reinvigorate confidence in STAR Labs and people wouldn't look at it or Dr. Wells with hate or disdain anymore." Naruto said as Caitlin smiled.

"You should have Dr. Wells and Cisco take a look." Caitlin said.

"Dr. Wells is helping me with the ARC Reactor. But maybe Cisco could have some ideas." Naruto said as they heard the intercom beep.

" _Hey, Naruto. Joe's here. He wants to talk to you_." Cisco said as Naruto walked over and pressed the intercom button.

"Got it. Send him down." Naruto replied.

"All right. I've got some work to do. I'll see you later." Caitlin said as she went back upstairs.

Naruto opened a book on thermo-nuclear astro-physics to see if there was anything he missed that could help him as Joe walked in. "Hey, Naruto." Joe said as Naruto smiled and waved. Joe looked around and saw that Naruto was busy. "Wow, looks a lot like Barry's room when he was studying for finals."

"Yeah, something like that. So, what's up? This about Iris?" Naruto asked.

"No, but thanks for what you did last night. I'm actually here about something else." Joe said.

"Sure, what's up?" Naruto asked as he put the book down.

"I was with Dr. Wells and we went for a drink. We got to talking and I asked a question and he didn't answer." Joe said as Naruto looked at him.

"Was it a science question that he couldn't answer? Wow, that's never happened." Naruto replied.

"No, about why he moved to Central City to form STAR labs. Who's Tess Morgan?" Joe asked as Naruto nodded and sat down.

"Ah…I know why he didn't answer." Naruto said as Joe looked at him, waiting for an answer. "Uh, you better sit down it's kind of a long story."

Joe walked over and saw down in a chair as Naruto cracked his fingers. "Tess Morgan was Dr. Wells research partner…and she was also his wife." Naruto said as Joe nodded.

"Was?" Joe asked.

"Uh…she died about 14 years ago. It's why Dr. Wells moved to Central City and it's why he founded STAR Labs." Naruto said.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Uh…you know that my parents and Dr. Wells were close." Naruto said as Joe nodded.

"Yeah, you said they were partners and worked together for years." Joe said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, but it wasn't just the three of them. Tess Morgan finished the group. He met Tess when they were in Grad school and ended up working in the same lab in Maryland. The one where my parents worked. Dr. Wells said they were often married to the work as much as each other." Naruto said as with fondness that Joe noticed.

"You knew her." Joe said as Naruto nodded.

"I was born a few years after my parents first started working with Dr. Wells and Tess. They often took care of me when my parents went out…looked out for me…but I was young, barely 8 when she died. But she always was there when I needed someone." Naruto said with smile.

"What happened?" Joe asked as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Uh, Dr. Wells and Tess went on vacation after completing a project. Some time off on the west coast. One night…Dr. Wells lost control of the wheel and they crashed. The paramedics came but it was too late. She was gone." Naruto said as he sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "It's why Dr. Wells moved to Central City. No one knew him…and he could have a fresh start…and rebuild."

"Then why did your parents move here with him?" Joe asked.

"Dr. Wells wanted to start fresh, so he wouldn't be reminded of his loss and that he didn't want anyone who could remind him but…my parents told him that…life never throws us more than we can take. That just trying to forget and move past it, he was never going to be happy again. By trying to ignore what happened and what he lost, it would only hurt more. My parents moved to Central City not only to help build STAR Labs…but they didn't want their friend to go through what happened alone." Naruto said as he remembered what happened. He wiped a small tear that was forming in his left eye as Joe smiled and pat him on the shoulder. "So, that's why Dr. Wells didn't want to answer. It's a painful memory…but one that pushed him to where he is."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

"Dr. Wells told him that it was Tess's idea for STAR labs. I think he built this place…to honor her memory." Naruto said with a smile as Joe nodded.

"Thanks, Naruto." Joe said as he got up to leave.

"Anytime." Naruto said as he watched Joe leave and then got back to work.

He kept working through the day and went to Big Belly Burger for dinner. He was at the white board, eating his 20th Big Belly Buster when Cisco ran into the room. "I just got a text from Barry. Tony took Iris." Cisco said as they ran to the Cortex.

They used to computers to try and track down Tony but he could have been anywhere in the city. Then, Naruto got a call on his phone and saw it was Barry. "Barry, we're still searching and we haven't found him." Naruto told him.

" _I know where he is. Iris just pulled the fire alarm at Carmichael Elementary. He's there with her."_ Barry said.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked.

" _It's where we went to school. If I'm going to take him down…I'm going to need my partner."_ Barry said as Naruto smiled.

"Then let's do it." Naruto said as he got suited up and super sped out of the building.

Naruto was running down 4th avenue as Barry turned the street and joined him. The two were running neck and neck. Naruto looked over to Barry, smile and nodded as Barry nodded back and the two blurs of lightning raced through the city. Tony had knocked out the police guarding Iris and took her to Carmichael Elementary. He smashed the doors open and dragged her through their old hallways.

"Tony, turn yourself in before things get worse. It's not too late." Iris told him as Tony was looking at a trophy case of all his old achievements.

"Yeah, it is." Tony said as he shoved her. "Cops are already looking for me. So, get ready to cover the showdown of a lifetime because I'm not going out without a fight."

 _ **[Whoosh]**_ Tony heard of whoosh of air behind him and saw the Streak and Impulse standing in the hallway. **"Good, because you just found one."** Flash said.

"You just won't stay dead. And you brought your sidekick. Couldn't take me on your own so you need help to rescue your fangirl." Tony said.

" **This is between us. Let her go."** Flash said.

"Oh, I could. But I'd rather make her watch while I break every bone in your body." Tony said as he changed his skin into metal.

Flash and Impulse ran forward as Tony winded up for a punch but Flash just slid between his legs and Impulse just slid to the right and both appeared behind him. Impusle grabbed Iris and ran to the end of the hall. **"Get her out of here."** Flash said as Impulse nodded. He grabbed Iris and ran out of the school and all the way back to Central City and to the CCPD.

Captain Singh, Joe and Eddie were in the main area when a whoosh of air hit them and they saw Iris standing there. "Iris." Joe said as he hugged her, and silently thanked Naruto and Barry. Naruto skid to a stop in the alley of the CCPD and smiled.

" **Barry, Iris is safe."** Impulse said as he heard Cisco shout over the comms.

" _Go, man go!"_ Cisco shouted as Naruto clicked a button on his goggles and saw the tracker in Barry's suit rushing through the city towards Tony so Naruto ran back to the school. He arrived in time to see Barry fly through the air with his right fist extended and hit Tony with a punch across the face. The impact of the punch created a shockwave that broke the glass windows of the school and sent Flash and Tony to the ground.

" _MACH PUNCH BABY, WHOOO!"_ Cisco shouted as he saw Barry groan in pain but also saw Tony get back to his feet so Naruto ran forward and decked him across the face and knocked him out.

"Shit!" Naruto shouted as he held his right hand.

"Nice cross." Barry said.

"Thanks, but I think I broke my hand." Naruto said.

"Yeah, me too." Barry replied as Naruto chuckled and held his hand out. Barry grabbed it and Naruto pulled him back to his feet. "Thanks for the help, Impulse."

"Don't mention it, Flash." Naruto replied as they both smiled.

Barry and Naruto went back to STAR Labs with an unconscious Tony and put him in a cell in the Particle Accelerator Ring. They were done but Barry wanted to have a few words. Tony woke up and saw he was in a small cell so he immediately got up. He saw a shadow figure outside his cell so he began banging on the door.

"Hey! What is this? Where the hell am I?!" Tony shouted.

"Somewhere you'll never hurt anyone ever again." Barry replied.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tony asked Barry stepped into the light.

"You know who I am." Tony said as he recognized Barry.

"Allen?" Tony asked.

"The thing that happened to you, Tony, it happened to me too. But it didn't just give us abilities. It made us more of who we are. You got strong. I got fast. Fast enough to beat you. You used your gift to hurt people. Not anymore." Barry said as he began to walk away.

"Allen. Allen! Allen, don't walk away from me! Hey! Come back here!" Tony shouted as Barry walked away and the door to the particle accelerator closed as Barry pumped his fist, happy and relieved.

"Dude. That had to feel great." Cisco said as he, Caitlin, Naruto and Barry walked down the hall.

"You have no idea." Barry replied.

"Almost as good as proving me wrong about the Mach punch?" Caitlin asked.

"Actually, that part hurt a lot." Barry replied as he stopped. "But I couldn't have done it without you guys. Especially you, Naruto."

Naruto smiled as Caitlin rubbed his shoulder. "It's what partners are for." Naruto replied.

"Yeah, you're right and I haven't been acting like one and I'm sorry. I now understand why you did what you did. I guess I have a blind spot where Iris is concerned." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"Apology accepted. And should it happen to anyone of us, I hope you'll do the same." Naruto said as he and Barry shook hands.

"Count on it." Barry replied.

"Although, it was only a temporarily solution. Tsunade said so long as we keep doing what we do, it's going to be harder to keep metahumans a secret. We'll have to come out to the public one day." Naruto said as everyone nodded.

"Then we'll do that together too." Barry said as he pat Naruto on the shoulder.

"Awesome, Flash and Impulse back together. Now that we have this situation taken care of, all I want to know is who's childhood bully are we going after next? Mine or Caitlin's?" Cisco asked as Barry and Naruto chuckled.

"Oh yeah." They joked as they walked to the cortex.

"I vote mine. What? Guys, this is not a joke." Cisco said as he followed them.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto finished up his classes for the day and was at Jitters getting some coffee before he would head to STAR labs. He placed an order and also got Dr. Wells an espresso and was waiting, people watching to pass the time. He noticed a very pretty Chinese-American girl walk in with a Central City Picture News press badge clipped to her hip. She walked by him as Naruto watched when he saw someone spill a coffee and napkins on the floor in front of her and her foot slipped, sending her flying back.

But, luckily Naruto walked forward and caught her mid-fall, holding her as she narrowly missed a bad accident. "Wow, quick reflexes." She said as Naruto smiled.

"So, I've been told." Naruto said as he helped her stand up as she re-adjusted herself. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I owe you for saving me from a nasty spill and dry cleaning." She said as Naruto smiled.

"No problem. Happy to help a damsel in distress, Linda." Naruto said as Linda look confused.

"How do you know my name?" Linda asked as Naruto pointed to her press badge. "Oh, right. Now that's a little unfair. You know my name but I don't know yours."

"Oh, then allow me to even the playing field. Naruto Namikaze, pleasure to meet you." Naruto said with a charming smile as Linda chuckled and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So, tell me Naruto. Is saving girls in coffee shops one of your pick-up strategies?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled.

"Well, it's safe to say that you're the first girl I've tried it on. Is it working?" Naruto asked as Linda chuckled and made a small smile.

"Maybe." Linda said as a barista walked up to the counter with Naruto's order.

Naruto walked over to the counter and picked up his order, leaving a nice tip in the tip jar. "So, anything I can do to tip the odds in my favor?" Naruto asked as Linda smiled, pulling out her phone.

"Have you heard of this new phone app? It's really cool, you just touch someone's phone to your phone and its automatically downloads their contact info." Linda said as Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Really? That's kind of cool." Naruto said as he pulled his phone. She then touched her phone to his and Naruto saw her number downloaded.

"There, you have my number. What you do with it now is up to you." Linda said.

"And you're ok with trusting your phone number to a stranger?" Naruto asked.

"I think I'll let it slide for the guy who saved me from a nasty spill." Linda said as she walked over to the register. She looked back and smiled as Naruto smiled back.

"Yes." Naruto whispered to himself as he left.

Naruto walked into the cortex and saw Dr. Wells and Cisco working on some calculations on projected growths for Naruto and Barry's powers as well as other training regimens and applications for their blood. "Hey, guys." Naruto said as he walked over and handed Dr. Wells his espresso.

"Thank you. You seem to be in a good mood today." Dr. Wells noted.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Other than the fact that you're much chipper than you usually are on a day when you have classes." Dr. Wells said as Naruto chuckled.

"Observant as always. I met a girl and she gave me her number." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled and Cisco chuckled.

"Nice, Naruto is now a fast-moving lady slaying machine." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

"She just gave me her number, Cisco. Save that comment for when we go on an actual date." Naruto said as he sipped his coffee. "So, what's on the docket for today?"

"I was thinking that we could continue to work on the ARC reactor calculations. I briefed Cisco on the project. I hope that's ok." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Great, an extra pair of eyes could help." Naruto said as they went to the lab that Naruto was using and began working on the calculations. They kept working on the calculations for hours and into the night and the schematics for building it were nearly complete but now they ran into a new problem.

Naruto was biting his pen in frustration as he, Cisco, and Dr. Wells looked at the four white boards with calculations and equations as to the design and reaction that would be needed for the ARC reactor to actually turn on and work in a mixture of scientific intrigue, exhaustion, and frustration.

"I've looked at these calculations so many times today that I'll be seeing them in my sleep." Naruto said as he tossed his pen away in frustration.

"And even then, I don't think we'll figure out the fundamental operational issues the reactor is going to pose." Dr. Wells said as Cisco stood up to stretch and get some blood flowing to his brain.

"Ok, let's wrap our brains around this. Even if the schematics and calculations are right and we can actually build the ARC Reactor, it would be the size of an 18-wheel truck. Not only would it be huge, it would take a massive jolt of initial power to start the reaction. The same power equivalent to the amount of energy STAR Labs goes through in a month. And if we do manage to start the initial power reaction, the energy the reactor generates also creates an excess of amount of waste heat, one of the fundamental laws of thermo-dynamics. And the generated heat would melt the reactor or the chemical waste that would be generated would cause an explosion. Do I have our problem spelled out correctly or am I missing something?" Cisco asked as Naruto sighed.

"Nope, you got it. If we wanted to build this thing and actually got it to work, it would take a cooling or management system the size of STAR Labs itself to ensure the reactor didn't blow up, destroy itself, or wasn't a colossal waste of time, effort, and funds. Now I understand why my parents were stuck." Naruto said as he slammed his head on the table.

"Sorry, Naruto. I know this meant a lot to you." Cisco said as he pat Naruto on the back. Dr. Wells continued to look over the board before he began writing down calculations on a spare notebook that was lying around. "Dr. Wells care to fill us in?"

"I believe there is a way we can circumvent the issue of the generated waste energy for the ARC reactor. I believe we can borrow aspects from Co-generation which I believe you gentlemen should know of." Dr. Wells said as he finished the calculations.

"Yeah, the principle of using waste heat or steam generated from plants as energy." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"If we cement the inside of the reactor ring with a cobalt-tungsten resin it will prevent degradation in conditions of extreme heat. That would take care of 80% of the excess heat given off by the reactor and a small-scale modified thermoelectric device would absorb the rest of the energy and ensure the reactor is no longer a danger." Dr. Wells said as he showed them the calculations as they looked them over and it could work.

"That's….brilliant." Naruto said.

"I could definitely come up with something small yet powerful to exploit the temperature difference given off by the reactor." Cisco said as they began writing stuff down.

They worked into the night and the next day and when Caitlin and Barry came to STAR Labs to see what was going on they would see Cisco, Dr. Wells, and Naruto working on something. They continued working through the day taking breaks to get something eat or for bathroom stops. Naruto was drinking some soda, eating a sandwich, and looking at his phone, taking a small break. As he was looking through his phone, checking his email and looking through his Facebook, he saw a Central City Picture News article on the success of Central City High's football team getting into the state finals and saw it was co-written by Linda Park.

"One way to meet someone. Let's see where it leads." Naruto said as he decided to give Linda a call and the two would meet for a lunch date tomorrow.

Line Break xxxxx

Two weeks had passed since they dealt with Tony and no new meta-human sighting had caused Team Flash to go into action. With Iris's blog down, it lessened the number of sightings and Joe said the CCPD were sending out more patrol units in response to the growing incidents and it was working. Naruto and the rest of Team Flash were at STAR Labs after a recent series of speed tests and training and to go over the results. And as it turned out from the recent training and tests, Naruto and Barry were pretty even now at about Mach 1.1 each but Naruto showed signs of being slightly faster which Cisco kept to himself for now.

Caitlin was looking over Barry to make sure he was ok after the last test while Naruto was at the computer, running the simulations on the latest calculations he, Cisco, and Dr. Wells had written for the ARC reactor. Naruto watched the screen as the computer ran through the calculations and created a digital construction of the ARC Reactor. It then generated a simulation of the ARC Reactor's start up process and Naruto watched it with anticipation as the reaction in the reactor ring started up and began generating energy. He hoped this time it would work but was ready if it didn't because the last 25 simulations they ran didn't work.

Naruto yawned as he watched the energy reaction start up and it began perpetuating and generating a slowly building yield of energy. He watched as the energy that started the reaction ceased and was expecting for the simulation to end either with the reactor failing to perpetuate or for the reactor to explode.

Another minute or two passed as the simulation kept running and the reactor was still intact and didn't explode. Another minute passed and the reactor was still fine and then the computer said the reactor was now running perpetually by itself and the levels were steady and in the green zone.

"I don't believe it." Naruto said as he looked at the screen in disbelief.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Caitlin asked.

"Cisco! Dr. Wells!" Naruto shouted as Caitlin and Barry were now a little concerned.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Cisco asked as he ran in and Dr. Wells followed him.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Barry asked.

"Look, look!" Naruto said as they all looked at the screen. Barry and Caitlin were confused but Cisco and Dr. Wells understood what they were looking at and were just as excited as Naruto was.

"Are you serious?" Cisco asked as Dr. Wells got on the computer to double check the information.

"I believe it is." Dr. Wells said as Naruto and Cisco exclaimed in excitement.

"YES!" Naruto shouted as he and Cisco hugged and shouted every kind of happy cussword combination they could think of.

"Ok, would someone please explain what is going on?" Barry asked.

"Naruto just won the next friggin Nobel prize is what's up!" Cisco shouted as he hugged Naruto and kissed him on the cheek as Naruto pushed him off.

"We won the next Nobel prize." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"Nobel prize for what?" Caitlin asked.

"Cisco, Dr. Wells and I have been working on an old project that my parents had on the drawing board years ago. It called the ARC Reactor and it's a next generation clean energy reactor that can produce more energy than any nuclear plant with none of the possible fallout or risk. We've been finishing the calculations for the past few weeks and we just managed to get some calculations ready for simulation testing and every single simulation had failed. But now, it's frickin working!" Naruto shouted as Barry and Caitlin looked and were amazed at what they saw.

"Oh my god. Congratulations!" Caitlin said as she hugged him and he hugged back.

"Naruto, this is incredible. This discovery is game changing, I mean you have the blueprints to something that is worth billions." Barry said as Naruto smiled.

"I know. This is just…it's unbelievable." Naruto said.

"And most of all, I believe your parents would be very proud that you completed something they were never able to." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled.

"So, what's next? Are you going to build it?" Caitlin asked.

"That's easier said than done. To actually build the reactor would take time, resources and a lot of capital." Naruto said.

"Fortunately, I believe that STAR Labs should have everything we need to actually build it." Dr. Wells said as Naruto looked at him.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"When we began working on the early calculations for the ARC Reactor, I ensured that STAR Labs was equipped with everything we would need in order to build a prototype. Granted, most of the material was already here but I made sure the rest of the raw materials we would need are here at our disposal." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled.

"Then let's build this thing. But first, tonight we're going out to celebrate our little discovery." Cisco said as he wrapped his arm around Naruto's neck.

"Yes, this is something that definitely deserves a drink." Caitlin said as they dragged Naruto out of STAR Labs and to a bar. They invited Joe as well and the group drank and celebrated the recent scientific discovery.

After their celebration, Naruto, Cisco, and Dr. Wells began drawing up the actual blue prints and schematics to build the reactor and where they would actually build it. Dr. Wells said they could use the free space near the Particle Accelerator ring to build it as it was the only place left in STAR Labs that the reactor would fit without calling in a huge construction team to make new space. And it was in the ideal spot for connecting to the STAR Labs system and the reactor ring of the Particle Accelerator would also act as an insulator and protective ring should something happen.

It's been a solid week since the ARC Reactor was a feasible idea and they managed to finish the actual blue prints and assembly of the small parts of the reactor like circuit boards and parts of the palladium ring. Now, usually Dr. Wells would have a huge team of other scientists and engineers to build something like this but with Cisco and Naruto, he had everyone he needed. Cisco was the best engineer and with Naruto's super speed and Barry whenever he volunteered to help, work that would take years could be done in months.

Naruto was in the cortex going over some notes in his parents' notebook while Cisco and Dr. Wells were off working on the thermoelectric capacitor device that would absorb excess waste heat and energy. Naruto was writing stuff down when he heard footsteps and turned to see Caitlin walk in with two cups of coffee.

"Hey, even scientists need a break every now and then." Caitlin said with a smile as she handed him a cup.

"Thanks." Naruto replied as he happily took it.

"So, how goes the work?" Caitlin asked as Naruto nodded.

"It's going slow, as one would expect with something this big. But Dr. Wells said we're making good headway for this kind of project." Naruto said as he took a sip and closed his notebook. "But, I'll be finished with college in another month and I managed to talk to the dean and he'll be ready to give me my diploma in December."

"How'd you manage that? People who finish college in the first semester still have to wait until May." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled.

"I made a very good argument." Naruto said as Caitlin looked at him. "And I might have made a sizeable donation to the school to sway his judgement."

"I'd be careful, Naruto. You may have that kind of money but don't go spending it in the wrong places. I can't believe of Dean of education could be swayed like that." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled.

"Would you say the same thing if you were in his position?" Naruto joked as Caitlin smiled.

"Maybe, it'd have to be a pretty sizable donation." Caitlin joked as she sipped her coffee. "So, are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Well, Cisco is bringing me to the Angelica movie theater for a screening of Forbidden Planet. Leslie Neilson before his comedy days. It's not really my thing but Cisco managed to convince me. Want to come with?" Caitlin asked.

"Oh, that's sound great but I can't." Naruto replied.

"Why not?" Caitlin asked.

"I've actually got a date Friday night." Naruto said as Caitlin was surprised.

"Really? A date? Like a date-date." Caitlin asked as Naruto looked at her weird.

"Yes, why is it so hard to imagine that I have a date?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just, ever since we've known you, you never really mentioned dating or experience dating." Caitlin said as Naruto chuckled.

"Well I had a life before I was struck by lightning. I've gone on my fair share of dates. I've got the looks and the brain." Naruto said as Caitlin chuckled.

"Ok, sorry for the doubt. So who's the lucky lady?" Caitlin asked.

"Her name is Linda Park. She's the sport's reporter for Central City Picture News. We ran into each other at Jitters and we've gone on some lunch dates ever since but tomorrow's gonna be our first dinner date." Naruto said as Caitlin smiled.

"Great. So, what are you plans for tomorrow?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, tomorrow Linda actually made the plans. There's this Mexican place she knows about for dinner." Naruto said as Caitlin nodded.

"Ok, and what are you plans for the night? You do have plans, don't you?" Caitlin asked as Naruto looked at her.

"Of course I've got my own set of plans. This isn't my first rodeo." Naruto replied.

"True, but with my help, we can make sure it'll be a first date she'll never forget." Caitlin said as she grabbed her bag.

"You know, you're kind of like the older sister I never wanted." Naruto told her.

"And you're like the younger brother I would have enjoyed tormenting. Now come on." Caitlin said as she dragged him out of the chair.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked.

"I'm going to help plan a date that this girl will never forget. Come on." She said as she pulled him out of STAR Labs.

The next day around 6 o'clock, a few minutes before Naruto was supposed to meet Linda, he was in his room at the shelter going through his wardrobe to pick out an outfit for tonight. And helping him was Tsunade, Shizune, Caitlin and Kurama who were acting as his support. The women, plus Kurama were sitting in the kitchen enjoying some wine as Naruto walked in with a dress shirt, dress pants and vest combo.

"This?" Naruto asked as they looked at him.

"Eh…" They said as they waved their hands, making the _so-so_ motion.

"What else you got?" Shizune asked as Naruto super sped back to his room and reappeared in a second. This time, he was wearing jeans and a button up.

"What about this?" Naruto asked.

"It's too casual. Not the kind of thing you want on a first date if you like her." Caitlin said as Kurama nodded his head in agreement.

"She's right. Maybe, a second date kind of thing. Next." Tsunade said as Naruto super sped back to his room and returned with a black dress pant, red button up, tie, and black sports jacket combination.

"This one? I actually like this one." Naruto said as they looked at him for a minute.

"Hmmm, not bad. Not too formal for a first date yet doesn't say you're a slob." Tsunade said as Naruto glared at her.

"Thanks." Naruto replied.

"I like it. A formal casual rift and anything red and orange is your color, Naruto." Shizune said.

"Definitely. I think you're all set for your date." Caitlin said as she walked up to him and fixed his collar. "And remember what we talked about?"

"Yup. I'll see you ladies, later." Naruto said as he super sped away.

Naruto ran through the city and on the way to Linda's apartment but not before he stopped at a flower shop. Linda walked out of her apartment and saw Naruto waiting on the sidewalk with a bouquet of white roses.

"Oh, punctual." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"One of my many quirks." Naruto replied with a smile.

"And is that bouquet of lovely flowers for me?" Linda asked as Naruto smiled.

"I hope it's ok I got the white ones." Naruto said as Linda smiled and took them.

"No, it's awesome. And my favorite color too." Linda replied as Naruto smiled.

"All right." Naruto said as the two walked down the street to the Mexican Restaurant.

The two sat to a nice dinner and Linda challenged him with the spiciest tacos in Central City and Naruto was more than up for the challenge. They stared at each other after eating their set up tacos, seeing if the other was going to break and Naruto was close, with beads of sweat pouring down his forehead but tried to be strong while Linda smiled.

Naruto looked at the glass of water on the table and thought he could do it but couldn't and immediately downed the entire glass while Linda cheered.

"Oh, my god." Naruto said as he felt that his tongue was still on fire.

"I told you these were the spiciest tacos in Central City." Linda said.

"Oh, I thought you were bluffing." Naruto replied.

"I never bluff." Linda said as Naruto chuckled. "Although you did a lot better than I thought you would."

"Yeah, so did I. I didn't think I ate anything spicier than Tsunade's Five-alarm curry but I was proven wrong today." Naruto joked.

"I guess I'm tougher than you. Just admit it. I am the champion of all things spicy." Linda said.

"You are the spice champion of the world." Naruto joked as Linda chuckled.

"Well, this requires soap and water, I'll be right back." Linda said as Naruto nodded as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Naruto's phone rung as he got a text and saw it was from Caitlin, asking how the date was going so he sent a quick reply as Linda came back. "Ok, Naruto. What's next?" Linda asked as Naruto smiled. He stood up, paid for the meal, and grabbed his jacket.

"Something I think you'll like." Naruto said as he escorted her out of the restaurant and they walked to downtown.

Naruto then walked them to one of the most exclusive and best-known jazz clubs in the city with a line around the block. "Ok, nice thought but this place is super exclusive. Even the city leadership and elite have trouble getting into this place." Linda said as Naruto smiled and they walked up to the bouncer.

"Line starts back there unless you're on the list." The bouncer said.

"It should be under Namikaze." Naruto said as the bouncer looked and saw it was him plus one.

The bouncer then un-hooked the velvet rope and stood aside. "Enjoy your evening, Mr. Namikaze."

"Thank you." Naruto replied as he and Linda walked in to an atmosphere of cool jazz, great drinks, and a night of great dancing ahead of them.

"So, how did you manage to get on the list? Are you the son of the owner?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled.

"Nothing like that. A little money and I have a friend with the CCPD who the manager owed a favor." Naruto said as Linda saw the dance floor straight ahead.

"Ok, Namikaze. Show me what you got." Linda said as she and Naruto hit the dance floor and enjoyed themselves.

Hours passed and it wasn't until 1 in the morning did Naruto walk Linda back to her apartment. "So, did you enjoy yourself tonight?" Naruto asked as they arrived at her apartment.

"Tonight I got to torture you with spicy food and enjoyed an evening of amazing music and dancing. I can definitely say that tonight was one of the best dates I've had in a long time." Linda said with a smile.

"Me too." Naruto replied as Linda leaned in and kissed him briefly before parting. "What was that for?"

"To see if I wanted a second date." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"And?" Naruto asked.

"Let me see one more time." Linda said as she leaned in and Naruto kissed her. The kissed was little heated but no too much before Linda drew away. "Definitely."

Linda smiled as she walked into her building. Naruto smiled as he walked away but then turned into a super speed sprint through the city. "WHOOOO HOOOO!" Naruto shouted as he ran through the city.

While Naruto had enjoyed himself on a date, Dr. Wells was at STAR Labs looking over Naruto's recent speed tests and the schematics of the ARC Reactor. He stared at them before moving away from the cortex to the hallway where his secret room was. He strolled in and when the door closed behind him, he stood up and walked over to the podium. He pressed his hand against it and a hologram of a woman's head appeared.

" _ **Good evening, Dr. Wells."**_ The hologram said.

"Good evening, Gideon." Dr. Wells said, greeting the hologram as he took off his glasses.

" _ **Is there something wrong?"**_ Gideon asked.

"Yes, some recent events I've witnessed have intrigued me. Has the future remained the same?" Dr. Wells asked.

" _ **Yes, with a minor change it would seem."**_ Gideon said as she brought up the article from 2024 and the headline changed since the last time Dr. Wells had seen it. Before it read, _**Flash missing vanishes in crisis and Impulse hospitalized**_ but now it read _**Flash missing vanishes in crisis, Impulse urges city to keep hope.**_

The names on the by-line stayed the same but the headline, body of the article and the picture had changed as well. It still showed a picture of the Flash but it showed a different picture of Impulse. It showed Impulse in a black, white, and dark orange suit. The pants and boots were black with dark orange streaks around the shins. The upper half of the suit was a mixture of white and dark orange. The gloves were black with orange accents on the fingers and orange forearm guards. There were dark orange accents on the biceps and around the rib cage. The lightning bolt symbol on the chest was dark orange as well as the lightning bolts on the ear while the rest of the suit was white, even the face mask part. Everything except for the top of his head to show his spiky blonde hair and from the top of his nose to his mouth was uncovered. **(1)**

"How is this possible?" Dr. Wells asked.

" _ **It would seem that his accelerated training and drive have pushed Naruto's destiny ahead by 10 years. He has increased tremendously compared to the previous timeline."**_ Gideon said as Dr. Wells was both worried yet impressed.

"But the rest of the timeline remains intact?" Dr. Wells asked.

" _ **Yes, while Impulse's destiny has been slightly altered, the rest of the timeline has remained the same. It would seem your plan B is paying off well, Dr. Wells."**_ Gideon said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"Indeed it would, Gideon." Dr. Wells replied.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Dr. Wells arrived at STAR Labs early to visit his secret room without the risk of anyone seeing him. He strolled into the room and once it was secured, he stood up and walked over to the podium and activated Gideon.

" _ **Good day, Dr. Wells."**_ Gideon said.

"One can always hope, Gideon. Bring up my log, would you?" Dr. Wells asked as he took off his glasses.

" _ **Certainly."**_ Gideon replied as she brought up a record of multiple entry logs. _**"Go ahead, doctor."**_

"New entry for subjects' A and B. It has now been 311 days since lightning struck and the events are not at all as I anticipated, especially dealing with subject B. But, first things first. Subject A is acting exactly as I predicted he would be and it would seem that I should have anticipated this kind of progress path. Subject A has begun relying on his speed in everyday life. Using his extraordinary powers to solve ordinary problems. Accomplish ordinary tasks. Unfortunately, his penchant for the heroic persists. The fact is, he can be a bit of a show off. And while his desire to help others is commendable, it is impeding him from realizing the full scope of his abilities. But there is still time. As the future remains intact." Dr. Wells said as he swiped the podium and the article of the Flash and Impusle appeared.

"The biggest surprise is with Subject B. Now, going into this endeavor I understood that Subject A was necessary but upon discovering my connection with subject B, a backup plan seemed feasible. In the ensuing years, the connection to Subject B and his parents has been invaluable yet I have not realized up until recent days since the lighting strike how much they have effected myself and my backup plan. Subject B's progress has tremendously outshined my anticipated reports and projections and his discovery of the ARC Reactor notes and its subsequent design has altered his destiny." Dr. Wells said as he zoomed in on the new image of Impulse from the newspaper.

"It would seem that Subject B's importance has improved the chances of my overall endeavor…in more ways than one. And my endeavor seems no longer set on the fate of just Subject A, but now Subject B as well. Time will tell how much Subject B will continue to improve and if he will, at all progress far enough for the endeavor to be completed ahead of time but…all signs point to yes." Dr. Wells said as he finished his entry.

Naruto walked into the cortex with a cup of coffee and saw Caitlin and Cisco near the science lab. "Morning guys." Naruto said as he took as sip and walked up to them.

"Morning." Cisco replied as he and Caitlin shared a smile and looked at Naruto, who noticed them staring.

"Ok…you two are starting to scare me." Naruto told them.

"How was the date, man?" Cisco asked as Naruto smiled.

"A gentlemen usually doesn't kiss and tell but it went great. Even though the dinner burned my tongue." Naruto joked as he sipped his coffee.

"And the club afterward?" Caitlin asked.

"A great idea. Great drinks, amazing music and a chance to show off my awesome dance skills to Linda." Naruto replied as Cisco chuckled.

"Naruto, the dancing, lady slaying machine. Give me some!" Cisco said he and Naruto high-fived.

"It was great and she was great. It's been a long time since I've had this much fun on a date." Naruto said.

"How long has it been?" Caitlin asked.

"Uh, my junior year of college. She was a friend, Hinata and our group of friends thought we could be a thing. We tried but…it wasn't meant to be. She ended up dating a friend of mine, Kiba." Naruto said.

"Well, you win some and you lose some." Cisco said.

"But Linda's great. In fact, we're going on another date tonight." Naruto said.

"Really?" Caitlin asked.

"Aren't you worried you might be moving too fast?" Cisco asked.

"No. It's just a second date." Naruto told them. "Besides, we've gone on a whole bunch of lunch dates before our date last night so we've gotten to know each other pretty well."

"No, no. I meant going too fast. Hurrying? Look, you're fast, but there's fast, and then there's fast." Cisco said as Naruto understood and shook his head. "Am I being subtle?"

"Really not." Naruto replied as he sipped his coffee.

"Cisco's right. With your increased blood flood and heart rate, theoretically your speed can cause you to—" "Ok, stop!" Naruto said, stopping Caitlin from finishing that sentence.

"You're gonna need to think about a lot of dead puppies. Like we're talking a whole kennel. And baseball. Cold showers, you know, nuns." Cisco said as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Ok, thank you both for the helpful yet scaring advice. But it's just a second date. Besides, I handled myself perfectly fine at the club last night and a lesser man would have had an accident. Besides, I've had my fair share of experience." Naruto said as Caitlin looked at him.

"Really, how much experience?" Caitlin asked as Naruto looked at Cisco who quickly shook his head no.

"I'm not about to answer that." Naruto said as Dr. Wells strolled in. "Morning, Dr. Wells."

"Morning, how was your evening, Naruto?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Incredible, to say the least." Naruto replied as Dr. Wells smiled.

"Where's Barry? He's late, isn't he." Dr. Wells said, answering his own question.

"Late is kind of his signature move." Caitlin said.

"Hey, you guys want to see my signature move?" Cisco asked as a whoosh of air hit them and Barry appeared with a cup of coffee.

"Hey, look who decided to show up." Naruto joked as Cisco and Caitlin chuckled.

"Sorry, got a little held up." Barry said as they looked at him. "Had to be there."

"I'm going to need a moment or two alone with Barry." Dr. Wells said as Caitlin and Cisco left.

Naruto stood up and leaned over to Barry. "Oh, you're in trouble." Naruto said as before he left as Barry chuckled and sat down.

"Now, may I remind you, Mr. Allen that we had an agreement. That we would help with your heroics out there while you would help us research and develop your abilities in here. Right?" Dr. Wells asked. "And it seems as though lately, you haven't been keeping up your end of the bargain."

"Yeah. No, I know. I guess I've just gotten a little caught up with being able to help people. Put bad guys away. It feels good." Barry replied.

"Naruto helps you with that and he still finds time for us to analyze his body and help test his abilities. Imagine how good it would feel to cure diseases, stop aging, reverse paralysis." Dr. Wells said as Barry nodded.

"All good causes. So, how can I help you do that? You need more MRIs? More blood?" Barry asked.

"I need more speed." Dr. Wells said as Barry nodded. "Speed is the key to progress and speed is the key to unlocking the true nature of your abilities and their benefits for the rest of the world. You need to kick it up a notch."

Dr. Wells stopped as he saw Barry getting a call. "There was a homicide. I'm sorry, I got to go." Barry said.

"Remember, this is not just about you." Wells told him as Barry nodded.

Barry left for his job so Dr. Wells went to check on the others. Cisco and Caitlin were doing their own thing while Naruto was in the cosmic treadmill room, having just finished suiting up in some workout clothes. "Some more training, Naruto?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto looked at him.

"Yeah. I figured I could take a break from the ARC Reactor and train a little bit." Naruto said as he strapped on his boots. "Besides, I want to see how my powers are going to grow and maybe see if I'm faster than Barry."

Dr. Wells chuckled as he went to the control room. "All right, let the training begin." Dr. Wells said over the intercom as Naruto started up the treadmill and began running, easily passing Mach 1, and was running an average of about 880 mph. Naruto concentrated and tried to run faster, pushing himself as hard as he could but he was still only averaging 880 mph.

"Come on. Come on. Faster!" Naruto shouted as he tried running faster but his speed wasn't changing. Naruto kept trying but after a few minutes he saw his speed wasn't increasing so he slowed down and stopped. Naruto bent over, catching his breath as Dr. Wells came into the room. "I'm not getting faster. I've stayed the same the past week. How come I not getting faster?"

"I don't know. There's still a lot we don't know about your powers, Naruto. It could be any number of different factors: sleep, diet, metabolic rate, environment, mental condition, etc. But with a little more time and research we'll figure out your abilities." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded. "But I want to tell you that I'm very impressed and proud of how far you've come since obtaining your powers. I'm sure your parents would be proud as well."

"Thanks, Dr. Wells. I don't I'd be where I am now without your guidance." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"My pleasure. It's the least I can do. In the meantime, perhaps there are other aspects of your abilities we can improve besides your speed." Dr. Wells said as he left the room and Naruto grabbed a towel, water bottle, and followed him.

"What other aspects?" Naruto asked as he took a sip of water. "I mean; besides the super reflexes we've been testing and the accelerated healing. You're not going to shoot me, are you?"

"No, nothing like that. But, while speed is your main power, there might be ways you and Barry can utilize it to your advantage." Dr. Wells said.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"That will be up to you to find out. You're the one who is better at thinking outside the box than I am, Naruto. Perhaps think less about running faster and more about other things you would normally do." Dr. Wells said as he left, leaving a confused Naruto.

"Other things I normally do." Naruto said as he was confused at what Dr. Wells told him. "What does that mean?"

Naruto wiped his forehead and drank some water, thinking about what Dr. Wells said and how else he could improve his powers. He capped his water bottle and swished it around, tossing it back and forth with his hands, thinking of what Dr. Wells said when he got an idea. Naruto put the bottle down and looked at his hands before he concentrated and began shaking his hands at super speed and they looked like they were vibrating.

"Hmmmm…." Naruto thought as he grabbed his water bottle with his left hand and held it out horizontally. He then began vibrating his right hand like he did before. "I may be on to something."

He then slowly moved his vibrating hand down and when it hit the water bottle, it split it in half, causing the water to spill out and hit the floor. Naruto looked at the two halves of the water bottle and saw the break looked like it was ripped cleanly in half.

"Awesome." Naruto said as he decided to test out his new-found power in one of the spare rooms. Naruto super sped all over STAR Labs gathering different items to test his new-found ability and they ranged from small wire cables to titanium steel beams.

"All right, lets us begin." Naruto walked up to the wire cables, held his hand out like in a karate chop motion and began vibrating it. He moved his hand onto the cable and it snapped in half like it was a twig. He kept doing the same thing to chairs, a plastic table, a wooden table and spare steel plates for the girder dummy and they all proved to be excellent practice as they all broke in half. Next it was the titanium steel beams.

Naruto grabbed one and was about to do the same thing when he decided to do something different. He clenched his hand into a fist and began vibrating it. He concentrated more sparks of his white and orange lightning began to surge around his fist and arm.

"ARGH!" Naruto shouted as he threw a punch and it smashed straight through the titanium beam like it was made of paper. "Awesome!"

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto heard as Cisco and Caitlin ran in and saw Naruto and a bunch of broken objects.

"Sorry, guys. I was doing a little training." Naruto said.

"Training what? Your karate chop?" Cisco asked as he picked up a broken concrete brick.

"Something like that. Watch this." Naruto said as he moved over to the last titanium beam in the room. He clenched his fist and began vibrating it and then punched the beam in two like it was paper, which completely shocked Caitlin and Cisco.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Cisco said.

"I didn't know you had super strength as well as super speed." Caitlin said.

"It's not super strength. It's my speed but used a different way." Naruto said as Cisco looked at Naruto's hand and the broken metal beam.

"I'm guessing Naruto's using his speed to vibrate his fist. An object's force increases as it accelerates, like why a car crash at 25 mph is more preferable than one at 55 mph." Cisco said.

"Or no car crash at all." Caitlin said.

"You know what I mean. Anyway, Naruto's vibrating his fist at incredible speeds that it has enough force to break the beam, giving Naruto the ability to punch through solid metal. And given that Naruto's already broke the speed of sound, I wouldn't want to be on the opposite end of his punch." Cisco said as Naruto smiled.

"Cool, I'm One Punch Man." Naruto said as Cisco and Caitlin were confused. "It's a manga I really like. So, what should we call this new move?"

"How about…the iron fist?" Caitlin asked as Naruto and Cisco shook their heads.

"Eh, not bad but not that good either. More for someone with actual super strength. How about the force punch?" Naruto asked as Cisco shook his head.

"No. I got it, the infinite mass punch." Cisco said as Naruto hmmed.

"I kinda like it." Naruto replied.

"Not bad." Caitlin replied.

"I know you're not yet at infinite mass yet but it sounded better than mass punch unless you'd rather go with a scientific label like molecular vibration?" Cisco asked as Naruto shook his head.

"Infinite mass punch is good." Naruto replied as he got a text from Tsunade. "Hey guys, I'll be back in a bit. Tsunade needs something."

Naruto super sped away from STAR Labs and arrived at the shelter to see Tsunade waiting in the kitchen, prepping a stock base for soup. "Hey, you said you needed to see me?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, thanks for coming. I know you've got a date tonight so do you mind helping Shizune with dinner before you leave. I've got some errands I need to run in the city and I'll be gone for a while." Tsunade said as Naruto nodded.

"Sure, no problem." Naruto said as Kurama walked in with a chew toy. "Hey, buddy. You wanna come hang out at STAR labs or are you ok here?"

Kurama walked up and snuggled into Naruto's hand and he understood what he wanted. "All right. I'll be back to help Shizune before dinner." Naruto said as Tsunade nodded.

"I made the soup base for the ramen. All you need to do is cook the noodles and add everything else. And I made a separate pot of soup for you if you get hungry later." Tsunade said as Naruto nodded.

"Awesome, I'll see you later." Naruto said as he grabbed Kurama and wrapped him in his jacket to protect him while he ran them both to STAR Labs.

He arrived at the cortex as Kurama jumped out of Naruto's arms and onto the desk and shook his fur and tail. Kurama glared at Naruto who shrugged.

"Sorry, buddy. But I don't think fur was meant to go pass 100 mph." Naruto said as Kurama jumped from the table and made his way over to Caitlin.

"Naruto, Cisco told me that you took my lesson to heart and learned a new ability." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"The infinite mass punch or finite mass punch for now. Would have been nice to know when we were dealing with Girder." Naruto said, rubbing his hand as he remembered the pain from punching Tony.

"It'll come in handy but you'll have to exercise caution and control in using your new ability." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I could do some serious damage with this thing but it will come in handy. I'll teach Barry later." Naruto said as Barry super sped into the cortex. "Speak of the devil."

"Hey, guys. We've got another metahuman to deal with and this one isn't pretty." Barry said as he held up a flash drive of the data he copied from his lab.

Cisco walked over and uploaded the data onto the computers and the first image they got was of a burnt corpse. "Whoa, now I understand what you meant by not pretty." Naruto said.

"What happened?" Caitlin asked as she walked over holding Kurama.

"Murder at the power plant. One of their workers was found like that. There's no sign of any other kind of accelerant or explosive so it was a metahuman. Finding out who our victim is could help us find our killer." Barry said.

"How are we going to find out who he is? His face is burnt to a crisp." Naruto said.

"Never fear because of a little thing called facial reconstructive software. It was designed for archeologists, and it should help us ID your crispy corpse." Cisco said.

"I'm more concerned with how he got fried in the first place." Naruto said.

"There were signs of arc blasts so most likely electricity." Barry said.

"It would take a serious amount of electric static voltage to cause that kind of tissue damage." Dr. Wells said.

"Guys, according to the software there's an 82 percent chance your victim looked like this." Cisco said as the computer showed a 3-d model of the victim's face.

"82?" Barry asked.

"It was zero when you walked in here, pal." Cisco told him as Barry chuckled.

"Can you cross reference that with the DMV database and maybe get a name?" Barry asked as Cisco nodded.

"Absolutely. This software can do just about anything, now that Felicity reprogrammed it." Cisco said as he got a match. "Casey Donahue. No wife, no kids. Used to work at the Petersburg electrical substation."

"That can't be a coincidence." Caitlin said.

"That's weird. Someone just used his ID to enter the substation." Cisco said as the computers picked up something.

"The Petersburg grid is experiences a power drain right now." Caitlin said as Naruto looked at the screen.

"That's not good." Naruto said.

"Barry, be…" Dr. Wells was cut off as Barry just left. "…careful."

"I got him." Naruto said as he left.

Barry and Naruto suited up and raced through the city to the substation. They stopped to see a man absorbing the electricity from the main power conduit. Naruto put on his goggles and switched it to electrical overlay mode and saw the power drain was going to cause a serious system error and cause a huge blackout.

"Cisco, this guy's power drain is going to cause a huge blackout. How do I stop it?" Naruto asked.

" _You'll need to engage a system reset. There's a panel on the north side."_ Cisco said as Barry looked at Naruto.

"Go, I got this." Barry said as Naruto ran to the north side of the station.

" _Ok, look for a black-colored panel."_ Cisco said as Naruto saw it. He vibrated the lock and it broke off allowing Naruto to open it. _"Look for four electrical router switches. Flip them all to standby mode."_

Naruto flipped all four switches and a large red light appeared on the bottom. " _The station will begin resetting to its default settings. Now, hit the big red button on the bottom, it should normalize the system."_ Cisco said as Naruto did and from the sounds of the wires and machines, it seemed to work.

"Thanks, Cisco." Naruto said.

"ARGH!" Naruto heard as he ran to see Barry on his knees as the metahuman hit Barry with his electricity. Naruto froze for a second as he saw orange electricity being sucked out of Barry's body and into the metahumans. Naruto ran forward and shoulder checked the metahuman, sending him flying away.

Barry dropped to his knees in exhaustion as Naruto ran up to him. "Barry! Barry, are you ok?!" Naruto asked, as Barry tried to catch his breath.

" _Both of you get out of there."_ Dr. Wells said as Barry ran forward but instead of moving at super speed, he was running like a normal person.

" _Run, Barry."_ Dr. Wells said.

"I can't. My speed…it's gone." Barry said as Naruto and the others were shocked.

Line Break xxxxx

Back at STAR Labs, Barry was running on the cosmic treadmill at a normal pace of about 7-8 mph with no sign of using his super speed. Watching him was Caitlin, Cisco, Dr. Wells, and Naruto who was still in his Impulse suit with his mask down. "He runs slow even for a normal person." Cisco said as Barry stopped to catch his breath.

"You can't just lose your powers. Your DNA was transformed by the particle accelerator blast. There's no way to un-transform DNA." Caitlin said.

"Tell that to the treadmill. That metahuman did something to Barry." Naruto said as Kurama walked over and sat next to Barry.

"So, we were wrong. This metahuman doesn't electrocute people. He siphons electricity thereby removing your power." Dr. Wells said.

"That would explain what I saw. It was like…seeing Barry's lightning sucked out of his body like some kind of force." Naruto said as Barry sighed.

"All right, do we think this is temporary or…?" Barry asked Dr. Wells, legitimately scared about losing his powers.

"We have to run tests." Dr. Wells said as Barry felt hopeless.

"Look, Barry we'll figure something out. If this guy sucked out your lightning, maybe we just need to re-energize you. We won't stop until you get your powers back." Naruto said as he pat Barry on the shoulder.

"Ok. I've gotta warn Joe." Barry said as he got up to leave.

"Barry. We'll find a way to restore your speed, I promise you that." Dr. Wells said.

"And he always keeps his promises. Just give us a little time." Naruto said as Barry nodded and left.

"Well this isn't good." Cisco said as walked over to the treadmill.

"I still can't believe this is happening. Poor Barry." Caitlin said.

"We'll help him, Caitlin. The Flash isn't gone yet." Naruto said as his phone beeped. He took it and saw it was a reminder to help Shizune with dinner and get ready for his date. "Aw, crap. Guys, I need to head to the shelter. I promised Tsunade to help with dinner. But I'll be back when I'm done."

"Wait, don't you have a date tonight?" Caitlin asked.

"Yeah, I'll call Linda and ask if we can reschedule." Naruto said.

"No, Naruto. Caitlin, Cisco, and I will be fine for the moment while we research how to get Barry his powers back. You should go." Dr. Wells said as Naruto was unsure.

"Yeah, dude. We can handle it for now." Cisco told him.

"Go out and show Linda a good time." Caitlin told him as Naruto nodded.

"All right, but the second you need me you text me and I'll be here in a second." Naruto said as they nodded. "And can you watch over Kurama?"

"Sure thing. We can watch over the little guy." Cisco said as he scratched Kurama on the head.

"All right, I'll have my suit with me in case of emergencies." Naruto said as he super sped back to the shelter and help Shizune prep dinner for the kids. He then made himself a quick meal and got ready for his date.

Barry told Joe what happened with the new metahuman and that until STAR Labs could get his powers back, they'd have to rely on the police or Naruto for now. After witnessing what happened, Dr. Wells went to his secret room to check on the future.

"Gideon, show me the future." Dr. Wells said as he touched the pedestal.

" _ **Certainly, doctor."**_ Gideon replied as she brought up the article to show a completely changed headline. It read, _**Impulse museum closed for reconstruction**_ and showed a picture of future Naruto in his costume and a destroyed building.

Dr. Wells as he couldn't believe what he was reading. The future had completely changed and even though Naruto was still around and a speedster, the events that Dr. Wells needed to occur, hadn't occurred. Dr. Wells exhaled in frustration and desperation as he knew that time was running out.

"Run a complete search. Show any references to the Flash." Dr. Wells said as Gideon did.

" _ **Zero references to the Flash."**_ Gideon replied.

"Look again." Dr. Wells told her.

" _ **Zero references."**_ Gideon replied.

"Show any references to Barry Allen." Dr. Wells told her.

" _ **Zero references to Barry Allen."**_ Gideon replied.

"Look again!" Dr. Wells shouted.

" _ **I've searched 3,452 times, Dr. Wells. There's nothing."**_ Gideon replied.

"Gideon, does Impulse encounter any of the same events as the Flash that lead to the same outcome as before?" Dr. Wells asked as Gideon did a search.

" _ **I'm afraid not, Dr. Wells. Without the Flash, the events did not occur as its fate is tied directly to that of Mr. Allen. Naruto's destiny is different than that of Mr. Allen's as his are tie to you, Dr. Wells. Mr. Allen must be the Flash for the events you need to occur."**_ Gideon told him as Dr. Wells knew that while having Naruto as a plan B was a valid alternative, he needed Barry as the Flash for the plan to even exist. The Flash needed to exist for Dr. Wells' plan to happen…and he would come back.

Naruto just finished his shower and got dressed. He fixed his belt on his jeans as he put on his black button up when he heard Shizune call him. "Naruto!" He heard Shizune call. He walked to the front door to see Shizune wanted.

"What's up?" Naruto asked as he saw Shizune and Linda.

"You have a visitor." Shizune said with a smile.

"Linda, hey. I thought I was going to pick you up." Naruto said.

"I thought I'd surprise you." Linda said as Shizune heard some kids shout for her.

"Well, I've got some things to do, you two enjoy yourselves tonight." Shizune said as she left.

"She's nice." Linda said.

"Yeah, Shizune's the best. Tsunade to but she's not here right now. Come on, I'll show you around." Naruto said as he showed her around the shelter.

"So, how long have you been living here?" Linda asked as they made it to Naruto's room.

"Oh, nearly two years. I found my way here after my parent's car accident." Naruto said as Linda comforted him.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Linda told him.

"It's ok. Tsunade and Shizune helped me a lot after their accident and I've gotten my life back in order. Anyway, enough about that. So, here's what I got planned for the night. First, a dinner reservation at Table Salt, then we head to an awesome jazz club to hear Mal Duncan and if you're not sick of me by the end of the night we can get some ice-cream." Naruto told her as she smiled.

"Or…" Linda said as she kissed him and they fell on the bed.

Line Break xxxxx

Back at STAR Labs, Barry was looking at his suit longingly, wondering if he would ever get to wear it again. He exhaled in sadness when he heard footsteps and saw Caitlin with Kurama in her arms and was surprised to see Tsunade there as well.

"Hey, Barry." Tsunade said as Barry smiled.

"Hey, Tsunade. What brings you here?" Barry asked.

"I was doing some chores in the city and Naruto called me and told me what happened. I wanted to see how you were doing and to get you something to help." Tsunade said as she handed him a box of cupcakes from the best bakery in the city. "I know the cupcakes always helped Naruto and the kids when they go through rough patches."

"Thanks, Tsunade." Barry said as he happily took the box while looking at his suit, longingly.

"You miss it, don't you?" Tsunade asked as Barry nodded.

"I didn't have my speed for very long…but now that it's gone, it feels like a part of me is gone too." Barry told them.

"With or without your speed, you're still you, Barry." Caitlin told him.

"No, I'm not. I'm not the best version of me. I love being the Flash. I love everything about it. The feeling of running hundreds of miles per hour. Wind and power rushing past my face. Being able to help people. I'm not sure I can live without it." Barry said as Tsunade decided to give him the same advice she gave to Naruto a while ago.

"You know, Naruto went through something similar when Shizune and I first met him. A boy who had lost his world…everything he hoped to be was dashed the day of his parents' accident. But Shizune and I saw the kind of man he was and the potential he had. I told him then the same thing I'm telling you know: what you lost will only define you if you choose it to. I told Naruto that lost and hardships come with living but they will only define you if you choose it to and Naruto eventually managed to get his life in some semblance of order. Barry Allen is as much part of the Flash as your powers and with or without them, the Flash will live on." Tsunade said with a smile as Barry smiled back.

"Farooq Gibran." They heard as Cisco walked in, holding a tablet.

"Excuse me?" Tsunade asked.

"The powers vampire who jacked your speed. I hacked into surveillance footage from the substation. Once I got his face it was easy to find a match." Cisco said as he showed them an article about him hurt during the Particle Accelerator explosion.

"He climbed an electrical tower the night of the accelerator explosion." Barry said, reading the article.

"No surprise where his powers came from." Caitlin said as they heard the computer beeping.

"YIP! YIP!" Kurama shouted in concern as Caitlin tried to comfort him.

Cisco ran over and saw it was the security system. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. This is not happening." Cisco said as Tsunade, Barry, and Caitlin came over and saw Farooq outside of STAR Labs.

" _Dr. Harrison Wells! I need to see you! Come on, I know you're inside. Open the door. I just wanna talk Dr. Wells. Wells! Let me in!"_ Farooq shouted as he then walked out of the security camera's view. Farooq walked over to the main power junction generator outside of STAR Labs and began absorbing all of the electricity not only from STAR Labs but from the entire city power grid.

Barry, Caitlin, Cisco and Tsunade watched as the lights went out along with all the power and security system. "That's not good." Tsunade said when they heard an explosion that shook the room a bit.

"He's inside." Barry said as Dr. Wells wheeled in.

"It's Farooq." Dr. Wells said as Tsunade tried calling Naruto but she couldn't get a call through and got nothing but static.

"I can't call Naruto. I can't get a call out." Tsunade said as the others tried and they couldn't call either, all they got was static.

"Nothing." Cisco said.

"It's Farooq. His electrical powers are dampening anything electronic in close proximity to him." Dr. Wells said as they all panicked.

"I need my powers back." Barry said.

"I have an idea. It's untested…but just might work." Dr. Wells said as Barry nodded.

"I'm willing to roll the dice." Barry said.

"Ok. You've lost your speed, yes. But nothing has changed inside you on a subatomic level. In other words, your cells are still primed." Dr. Wells said.

"They just need a jump start." Cisco said.

"How can we jump start him with the power out?" Tsunade asked.

"The spare generator's offline. If we reboot it, we could get a charge big enough to recharge Barry." Cisco said.

"We need something that can transmit the load from the generator to Barry without shorting out." Dr. Wells said.

"The treadmill. My baby can take the charge." Cisco said.

"What if Barry can't?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, that's up to Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells said as Barry walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm going to talk to him." Barry said.

"No, that's a horrible idea." Tsunade told him.

"You guys didn't see him at the substation. He needed to feed. Naruto and I got super speed out of the particle accelerator blast. But his best friends died and he woke up with a disease." Barry said, sympathizing with him.

"Earlier today, you worked a crime scene where this metahuman electrocuted an innocent man. He's a murderer. And without Naruto here, you are powerless against him." Dr. Wells told him.

"He may just need help like I did. I don't need my powers to offer him that. I have to try." Barry said as he left.

 _Ten minutes earlier…_

Back over at the shelter with Naruto, he was currently with Linda Park, both of them stripped to their underwear. They were on his bed with her on top of him, engaged in a very heated and steamy kissing session. Naruto broke away from the kiss and moved to her neck, kissing it as Linda moaned. Naruto's hands caressed her back and began slowly vibrating his hands as Linda jumped in shock.

"Whoa, why'd you stop that felt amazing." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"Just enjoying it. Are you not worried about moving too fast?" Naruto asked as Linda smiled and leaned up.

"It's ok. I hate slow." Linda said as Naruto smiled. He grabbed her and flipped their positions. "Oh, you're a quick learner."

"So, I've been told." Naruto said as he kissed her and she kissed back. They would have continued but soon the power went out and they heard the kids in the shelter scream. "That can't be good."

"And kind of killed the mood." Linda said as Naruto got up and looked out the window and saw the rest of lights in the city go out.

"It's a city-wide blackout." Naruto said as Linda got up and grabbed her phone, instantly getting emergency notifications and texts to get to work immediately to cover the news.

"And with a blackout comes news that needs to be reported." Linda said as she walked over and put her blouse back on. "Where are my pants?"

Naruto went underneath his bed and grabbed her pants. She took them while Naruto put on some jeans and a t-shirt. "Well, this is not how I expected the date to go and it was just getting to the good part." Naruto joked as Linda chuckled and kissed him.

"Don't worry. We'll have a chance to continue when the city gets back to normal. But right now, I'm needed at the office." Linda said as she put on her jacket.

"Yeah, and Shizune's gonna need me here." Naruto said as he put on his sweatshirt. "You want me to drop you off?"

"No, I'll be fine on my own. I can take care of myself. I'll see you later." Linda said as she kissed him and left.

Naruto walked out of his room and to the kitchen to see Shizune setting up candles and flashlights. "Naruto, where's Linda?"

"She left for her job. How can I help?" Naruto asked as he grabbed a flashlight.

"I'm going to keep the kids together in the living room. Can you check the breaker and see if there's anything you can do?" Shizune asked as Naruto nodded and quickly sped outside. He opened the breaker panel and saw the breakers were fine. He tried resetting them, hoping to get a little power but he guessed there was something wrong with the city's electrical grid and that caused the blackout.

Naruto walked back inside and saw all the kids in the living room with blankets, pillows, and books to keep them comfortable and occupied. Shizune put candles and lanterns around for light. "Anything?" She asked.

"No, the breakers are fine. My guess it's something wrong with the city's electrical grid. I'll head to STAR Labs and see if there's something we can do." Naruto said as Shizune nodded.

"Be careful. And can you look for Tsunade, I tried calling her but I couldn't get through." Shizune said as Naruto nodded.

"I'll bring her back." Naruto said as he ran to his room and grabbed his backpack. He opened it up to reveal his Impulse suit and he quickly changed before speeding out of the shelter and into the city.

As Naruto was running, he checked his goggles and they were still working but the connection to STAR Labs was cut off and he couldn't get a signal to them. As he was running, he stopped in an alley as he saw a large collection of blue and red lights three blocks away.

' _Must be some kind of police emergency.'_ Naruto thought as he looked and saw the emergency was in the opposite direction of STAR Labs but with the power out, the police would need his help. _'Let's hope it's nothing serious.'_

Naruto super sped down the streets and stopped around the corner to see the police had set up barricades, cars, and an emergency tent outside of the police station with armed officers and SWAT members everywhere.

' _Something's wrong.'_ Naruto thought as he ran up a building and stopped on the roof. He put on his goggles and switched them to thermal and got a reading of 13 people in the police station. 12 of them were sitting while the 13th was walking around. _'Hostage situation. I can tap the police feeds with my goggles.'_

Naruto switched to the radio frequency setting and set it to the police feed that Joe had provided STAR Labs so Naruto could hear everything. He saw the police captain walk around with one of the radios talking to the man inside holding everyone hostage.

" _Tockman." "I am presently in control of eight of Central City's finest, three underpaid assistants, and one very brave civilian girl." "You've got demands. I wanna hear them. But first, let the civilians go." "Would you prefer I sent them out alive or dead? Please be more specific. One helicopter. One vegetarian takeout meal. One laptop with eight gigabytes of RAM will be delivered on this roof at exactly 53 minutes and 27 seconds from now or I shoot a hostage." "There is a citywide blackout. I'm gonna need more time." "Captain, you may delay, but time will not."_

' _Tockman, the Clock King. Like a sociopathic Sherlock Holmes._ ' Naruto thought as he switched to thermal again to get the position of Tockman. _'Well, I've broken Mach 1 so hopefully, I'm faster than a speeding bullet.'_

Naruto took a deep breath and ran off the roof of the building and around to the back of the police station, entering through the garage. Naruto slowly walked in and down the hallway as he made his way past the evidence room and was nearing the area Tockman kept the prisoners. Naruto heard Tockman talking so he hugged the wall, slowly inching to the door. He peaked his head out and saw the group of hostages sitting in a circle with Tockman looking out the window.

Joe looked and saw Naruto in his suit at the end of the hall who gestured him to keep Tockman occupied and Joe nodded. "End this now, and I'll talk to the DA." Joe told him as Tockman looked at him.

"It was your district attorney that denied me furlough, so I could visit my dying sister one last time. Say goodbye to her in person. AH, TIME I'LL NEVER GET BACK!" Tockman shouted in anger as Joe noticed Eddie about to move and tried to signal him to stop. "So, however long I have in this life, I promise not one second more will be spent in a prison cell."

Eddie then shot Tockman in the back as Tockman grunted in pain. Eddie lowered his guard, thinking that was it but Tockman just grit his teeth, turned, and fired a bullet at Eddie.

"EDDIE!" Iris shouted as Naruto ran forward. Time slowed down as he saw the bullet exit the pistol and sail through the air, towards Eddie. Naruto moved as fast as he could as he saw the bullet getting closer and when it was about a foot away from Eddie, Naruto grabbed the bullet and Eddie and tackled them out of the way. To Naruto, it felt like forever but to Tockman and the bystanders it happened in the span of a second as they saw Tockman fire his gun and a blur save Eddie.

"Interesting." Tockman said as he walked over to the desks and saw Eddie sitting on the ground in confusion. Tockman raised his gun and was about to shoot Eddie in the face when Naruto came around with his vibrating fist and sucker punched Tockman across the face. The punch had enough force to send Tockman off his feet and through the window, outside where the police immediately took him into custody.

Naruto walked over to the window and saw the police taking the Clock King so Naruto quickly super sped over to the hostages and freed them from their handcuffs. He then left as SWAT stormed the building. Joe hugged Iris in relief, silently thanking Naruto for saving them. Naruto appeared on the roof across the street and smile that he was able to save the hostages. Now, he was going to STAR Labs.

Line Break xxxxx

Back at STAR Labs, Barry's plan to appeal to Farooq didn't go well at all and Barry was hurt because of it. Caitlin and Tsunade took him to the treadmill room while Cisco tried to get the generator online while Dr. Wells went to do something. Caitlin and Tsunade helped Barry into the treadmill room as Barry was hurt from one of Farooq's blasts. They set him down and looked at the wound and saw a serious burn.

"I'm not healing fast anymore." Barry said as Caitlin shook her head no.

"Don't worry, when Dr. Wells has a theory he's usually right." Caitlin said as Tsunade looked at the wound and saw Barry in pain. She rolled up her sleeves and moved his shirt away from the wound.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked as Tsunade looked at him.

"Helping you." Tsunade said as she took a deep breath and her hands began glowing green which froze Barry and Caitlin in shock. She placed her hand on Barry's wound who hissed in pain but then the wound got better and the damage cells began to heal. After a few seconds of contact, Tsunade moved away and Barry's wound was completely healed. "It's getting a bit easier."

Tsunade then dropped to the ground in exhaustion as Caitlin and Barry helped her. "Hey, Tsunade. Come on." Caitlin said as they helped her sit up and leaned her against the wall. "Come on. Naruto is not going to be happy is something happens to you."

"I'm ok, just exhausted. Doing that takes a lot out of me." Tsunade said as she tried to catch her breath.

"You're a metahuman." Barry said as Tsunade nodded with a smile.

"Not all of us got super speed. Turns out the accelerator explosion took my pre-disposition for healing people to new heights." Tsunade said as she chuckled.

"How come you didn't tell us? Did Naruto know?" Caitlin asked as she shook her head no.

"He had enough on his plate without having to worry about me. Besides, I was going to tell him when I was ready." Tsunade said as they smiled.

Farooq nearly found them but Cisco managed to get the lights on just in time and it distracted him. They tried jump starting Barry with the treadmill and it slightly worked but his powers didn't come back. Tony Woodward gave them some time away from Farooq as Dr. Wells let him out in order to protect Barry. They then tried to make an escape but Farooq had them cornered in the loading bay.

Naruto ran into the loading bay and saw Barry super speed and save Dr. Wells from Farooq. He then arrived back in his suit as Farooq tried to blast him but Naruto pushed him from behind, sending him flying through the air as Barry then punched him in the chest and knocked him back. Farooq was sent tumbling across the ground hit one of the parked vans. "Sorry, I'm late but it seems like you had it covered. Nice to see you back in action, Flash." Naruto said as Barry smiled.

"I was never gone. Just need a break." Barry replied as they saw Farooq get back up. He yelled in anger as he fired two bolts of electricity but Barry and Naruto dodged them and ran at him. Barry ran to the side as Naruto ran straight at Farooq and shoulder checked him away. Farooq slid across the floor but blasted Naruto with one of his bolts of electricity.

"ARGH!" Naruto shouted as he felt himself getting fried while Farooq was getting stronger. Farooq stood up and fired another bolt and began sucking more energy as he felt himself getting stronger and stronger.

Naruto shouted in pain as he glared at Farooq, watching the orange and white colored lightning get sucked out of his body. "ARGH! YOU WANT POWER! THEN TAKE IT!" Naruto shouted as he began releasing more and more energy as the others watched in amazement and shock. Farooq then stopped and fell to the floor like a ton of bricks while Naruto tried to catch his breath.

"Naruto!" Barry shouted as he ran over and helped him.

"I'm ok…. I'm ok." Naruto said Caitlin, Cisco, and Tsunade ran over to check on him. Caitlin checked on Farooq, trying to feel a pulse but there wasn't one.

"He's dead." Caitlin said.

They moved his body to the pipeline and placed it in bag until they could come up with a burial. "We could've called him Blackout." Cisco said.

"He had a name, Cisco." Dr. Wells said.

"I'm just confused as to what happened. I felt Farooq stealing my powers like he did to Barry. How come it killed him?" Naruto asked.

"Because I think your powers tapped into what you were feeling and reacted. Here is a sample of your blood from when we first met." Caitlin said as she showed him a scan of his cells generating energy. She then showed him another image of his blood she took a few minutes ago. "Now, your cells are generating more energy than ever before. It was more energy than the meta could safely handle. It's almost like he choked on you."

"What does that mean?" Cisco asked.

"I think it means you kicked it up a notch." Dr. Wells said.

"I did the same test on Barry and it's the same. His cells are generating faster than ever before." Caitlin said.

"Looks like Impulse and the Flash are ready for the next level." Tsunade said as they smiled and left after a long day. Barry went to go check on Iris and Joe while Naruto and Tsunade had a talk about her new powers.

Dr. Wells retreated to his secret room for another log update. " _ **Good evening, Dr. Wells."**_ Gideon said.

"Yes, it is, Gideon. Bring up my log, please. New entry. It has now been 312 days since Lightning struck. In the past 24 hours, subject A has taken a great leap forward causing me to revise my initial thesis. I thought…his attachment to people was a distraction, slowing down his progress. Now I realize the opposite is true. Barry's attachment to people, people he cares about is actually the key to getting him up to speed. In the meantime, good news as the future remains intact. Now, this incident has also proven that Subject's B's future is changing…whether for the better or for the worse is up to interpretation. What does remain the same, is that both Subjects are vital for the overall endgame." Dr. Wells said as he finished his log.

 **End of Chapter 3**

 **I hoped you guys like chapter 3. Not a lot happened because it was just a way of getting rid of the filler episodes from the first half of season 1. Now that they're out of the way, the story can continue. This chapter laid out the groundwork for a lot of things that are going to happen to future chapters and expanded more on Naruto's relationship with Team Flash.**

 **Naruto's part in Dr. Wells/Eobard Thawne's overall plan at the end of season 1 will be explained when it comes to that point. Naruto's powers are growing more and more and he'll explore how else to use them like discovering the vibration punch and other abilities will come in the future. In terms of his future Impulse suit, I liked the Kid Flash New 52 black, white, and dark orange take on the suit for something Naruto would wear. And Naruto's met Linda and I already have plans for his relationship with her.**

 **With Naruto's discovery of his parents' notes on the Arc Reactor, I wanted something to show the potential that Naruto has in science and something that will eventually play out later in future chapters. The Arc Reactor project shows how smart Naruto is and the benefit he adds to any team he's on.**

 **Next chapter, Team Flash meets Team Arrow and friend turns against friend. And Barry and Naruto meet the man in the yellow suit and begin to learn more about why he's so fixated on Barry.**

 **1). Kid Flash's New 52 black, white, and dark orange suit is Naruto's future 2024 suit.**

 **Current top speed for Naruto Namikaze AKA Impulse: Mach 1.25=959 mph.**

 **Current abilities unlocked now**

 **Super Speed (can run on buildings and water)**

 **Accelerated healing**

 **Enhanced endurance**

 **Enhanced reflexes**

 **Improved homeostasis**

 **Enhanced mental capabilities to speed read and process information quickly**

 **Speed punches: Mach punch**

 **Molecular Oscillation: Vibrate molecules at high frequency (Bold is unlocked or learned at the moment)**

 **Mass/Force punch (** Infinite mass punch potential in the future)

Physical disruption

Air solidification

Intangibility/phasing

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Flash, both belong to their respective owners. I'm just a big fan.**


	6. Chapter 4

**Here is the fourth chapter of The Crimson Speedster. Naruto and Barry team up with Team Arrow, marking the beginning of a long partnership. And they soon meet a deadly new foe whose goal is beyond their understanding but will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. Enjoy!**

 _My name is Barry Allen and I'm one of the fastest men alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother get killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Than an accident made me the impossible. To the outside world, I'm an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I used my speed to fight crime and find other people like me. And one day, I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father. I am…the Flash._

 _Before the Particle Accelerator explosion, I had a very set belief of principles on how the world works. Rules like gravity kept people on the ground, the sun heated the planet and theoretical elements were theoretical. After my parents' death, I gave up on my path in science but after the Particle Accelerator explosion, my body changed in ways that I never imagined. It restarted my life and now I know what to do. I will use my speed to help Barry and everyone keep this city safe and make my parents proud. Meet Central City's newest Speedster, Impulse._

 **The Crimson Speedster: Flash vs Impulse/Opposites meet**

After the fight with Blackout and restoring power to the city, things went back to normal. Or as normal as they could get with Central City. No new metahumans had popped up so it was just saving the city and stopping crime for Naruto and Barry. Since their fight with Blackout, Naruto and Barry were getting faster and stronger and Naruto taught Barry the mass punch which would help in the future. Other than that, it was work on the ARC reactor components or training. Thanksgiving passed and Barry and Joe helped Naruto and Tsunade with making dinner for the kids and invited Cisco and Caitlin as well.

Speaking of Tsunade, after learning that she was a metahuman she spent some time at STAR Labs to figure out her powers and to make sure that she was ok and she was. Her powers were that she was able to channel her bio-electric energy to help grow and heal cells. Hyper healing as Cisco called it and she was fine although after using her powers, it used a lot of her energy and led to exhaustion and fatigue. But some rest, fluids, and food afterward and she would be fine.

It was now December which meant the holiday season was in full swings, prepping for Christmas was going to be a nightmare for Tsunade and Shizune, and that Naruto was finally getting his college degree. Naruto was at school in the dean's office with Barry, Joe, Cisco, Caitlin, Dr. Wells, Shizune, Tsunade and Linda there as Naruto received his diploma. Naruto smiled in pride as the dean walked over and handed him his diploma.

"Congratulations, Mr. Namikaze. You earned this." The Dean said as Naruto smiled.

"Thank you, sir." Naruto replied as he held his diploma in his hands.

Naruto and his group walked out of the dean's office and once they did, Cisco and Barry popped party confetti as everyone congratulated him.

"Congrats, Naruto." Caitlin said as she hugged him and Naruto hugged back.

"Thanks guys. It means a lot that you're all here." Naruto replied as they all smiled and congratulated him.

"Of course, Naruto. And I'm sure you parents are extremely proud of you now." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled.

"All right, now that Naruto finally has his diploma. Let's go celebrate. We've got a huge party waiting for us back at the home. Come on." Tsunade said as everyone left with Naruto's arm around Linda.

"Congrats, Naruto." She said as Naruto smiled.

"Thanks, Linda." Naruto replied as he kissed her.

They went back to the shelter and enjoyed a great meal and celebrated Naruto finally getting his degree and finishing college. Later that night, Linda and Naruto spent the night out on the town and enjoyed themselves in more ways than one.

With Naruto now free of college, he could use his time to work on the ARC Reactor although Barry and Joe offered Naruto an intern position working as Barry's assistant. It was a coin toss if Naruto wanted to work at the police station. Currently, he was at the STAR Labs cortex working on some of the blue prints for the ARC reactor, adjusting some dimensions of the reactor ring when Barry walked in with a new case. A metahuman who induces anger and caused the people at a bank to nearly kill each other.

"Anger, hate, aggression." Dr. Wells said as he wheeled in.

"A Jedi feels not these things." Cisco said in a Yoda voice as no one laughed. "Seriously? No one is feeling that quote?"

"Try harder, Yoda." Naruto joked as Cisco chuckled.

"Everyone in the bank went total savage for, like, five minutes. And then they were fine again." Barry said.

"The amount of time it took him to empty the vault and leave. And when he left they went back to normal. Maybe his location to his target is tied to his power?" Naruto suggested.

"Anger is a very powerful emotion. If this metahuman can engender irrational feelings of anger in his victims, he can do a lot of damage." Dr. Wells told them as Caitlin walked in.

"Detective West helped me get a copy of the cat scans the hospital did on everyone at the bank." Caitlin said as she plugged in a flash drive of the brain scans. "Take a look."

"Whoa." Naruto said as they saw the unusual activity in the subject's brain.

"Well, look at this, the emotion centers of the brain are still showing signs of being overwhelmed." Dr. Wells said.

"Particularly the area that controls executive function. That's the part of the brain that stops people from doing whatever random and potentially destructive thing that pops into their head." Caitlin said.

"How do you think the Meta does it to them?" Barry asked.

"That's the ½ million-dollar question." Caitlin said.

"Well, it has to be something. Perhaps a vapor, the meta could produce some kind of gas or maybe something ocular. I mean to affect change in people that fast it would mean the meta's powers had a direct route to the brain." Naruto pointed out. "Maybe Tsunade could help. She's got a wealth of knowledge on stuff like this."

"Good idea. We'll begin configuring a cell in the pipeline and preparing any kind of counter measures when we know what we're dealing with." Dr. Wells said as everyone nodded.

Tsunade came over to STAR Labs to help on figuring out what happened with the people at the bank and from what she could tell it wasn't anything vapor or the subjects inhaled or ingested. They kept working on figuring out the meta's powers and identity when Cisco picked up the CCPD moving on the tracer signal from the stolen money so Naruto and Barry went as backup.

Joe led the SWAT team to a storage warehouse where the signal from the tracer was coming through. The man who robbed the bank was moving the money from the bag into a box and found a tracer in a stack of hundreds. He made his way to the exit when Joe and three SWAT Officers appeared and aimed their weapons at him.

"Freeze!" Joe said as the man stopped. "Put your hands up!"

The man took off his red tinted sunglasses and did as he was told. "Is there a problem, officer?" He asked, in a smug tone.

"Certo." Joe said as SWAT officer Certo stepped forward with his shotgun pointed at the robber's back. "Turn around!"

The man did as his eyes glowed red when he looked directly at Certo who froze. "Certo, what are you waiting for? Cuff him!" Joe said as Certo turned around with his face full of anger.

"You don't tell me what to do." Certo said as he cocked his shotgun.

"Get down!" Joe shouted as Certo fired. The buckshot from the shotgun fired as Barry and Naruto ran past and pushed the two other SWAT officers and Joe to the ground as the blast tore through some wood paneling behind them.

The robber took off as Certo cocked his shotgun and stepped forward, ready to pump them all full of lead. Naruto was about to stop him when he saw two arrows hit Certo in the shoulders and sent him to the ground.

Barry, Naruto, and Joe turned to see who saved them as it was the Arrow, The Starling City Vigilante. **"Nice mask."** The Arrow said as he fired a grapple arrow up to the ceiling and left.

"Cool." Naruto said as he saw the Arrow in action.

Line Break xxxxx

In the old natural gas substation at the edge of the industrial district of Central City, Felicity Smoak and John Diggle were there eating Big Belly Burger waiting for Oliver to return intervening at the SWAT raid. Most of the Arrow gear was set up there so the people at the hotel wouldn't raise questions. Dig ate some fries while Felicity drank her soda.

"It's kind of comforting to know that whatever city you go to, Big Belly Burger is always to going to taste like Big Belly Burger." Felicity said.

"You mean full of grease and salt?" Dig asked.

"I thought those were the secret ingredients." Felicity said as she heard Oliver's motorcycle closing in. "Oliver's back."

Then a yellow streak appeared in front of Dig and Felicity in a whoosh of air to reveal Barry in his flash suit with his mask down. Felicity was fine but Dig freaked out and threw his cup of fries in the air in shock as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"By the way, I gave Oliver like a half hour head start." Barry joked as he walked up to Dig and Felicity.

"Hi, Barry." Felicity greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, Felicity. How you doing, Dig?" Barry asked as Dig just stared at Barry in shock.

"You're fast." Dig managed to say.

"Did you guys not tell him about me?" Barry asked.

"Well, seeing is believing, or…drooling." Felicity said as she and Barry chuckled as Oliver parked his bike and walked up to them.

"Hey, thanks for showing up back there but I had it." Barry said.

"Uh-huh." Oliver replied.

"What, I was getting ready to make my move." Barry told him.

"What move? The one to the morgue?" Oliver asked.

"Wait, so what are you guys doing in Central City?" Barry asked.

"Working a case. Suspicious homicide in Starling City where the murder weapon…is a boomerang." Felicity said as she brought out the evidence bag showing the boomerang as Barry took it and began looking it over.

"Cool." Barry said as he noticed Oliver give him a look. "I mean, awful."

"I found traces of Iron Oxide on it. I know it's a long shot but Central City has the highest concentration of Iron Oxide in the Country." Felicity said.

"Did you know Australian Aboriginals used boomerangs to hunt? Mainly on Kangaroo, which is a surprisingly low-fat source of pro—" **[Clears his throat]** Oliver stopped Barry from the tangent.

"We were following up a lead when we heard the SWAT raid over the radio, and I thought that I would come by…watch you make your move." Oliver said as Barry chuckled. "And I didn't know there was another speedster?"

"Oh yeah, Impulse. He's my partner. You have Felicity and Dig, I have…[ **Whoosh]** Barry was cut off as they turned and saw a white and orange lightning trail appear next to Oliver's bike and this shock caused Dig to throw his burger in the air.

"Naruto." Barry said.

"Ha, knew I could find it. Hey, Barry." Naruto said as he pulled his mask down and walked over. "Hey, Felicity."

"Hey, Naruto." Felicity replied with a smile as he walked over to them.

"Sorry, for dropping in but Barry wasn't back yet so I wanted to see what was going on. Mr. Queen it is an honor to meet you." Naruto said as he shook Oliver's hand.

"Right." Oliver said.

"Sorry. Oliver, Diggle meet Naruto Namikaze aka Impulse. Naruto, meet John Diggle and Oliver Queen." Barry said Naruto waved at Diggle.

"Hey." Naruto said as Diggle was stuck in shock.

"He's ok." Felicity said.

"Thanks for the help, Mr. Queen." Naruto said as Oliver nodded.

"Just Oliver is fine, Naruto." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Sorry. And don't worry about the whole secret identity thing. I'm really good at keeping secrets. Unlike the Flash over there. He spilled the beans on Felicity working with the Arrow when she came over a few months ago and told his crush object my name." Naruto said as Barry shrugged his shoulders.

"And again, I'm sorry." Barry replied as Oliver looked at Naruto.

"This is a secret only a select few can know. No one else can." Oliver told him as Naruto nodded.

"I swear I won't say a word." Naruto replied.

"I had a cousin got hit by lightning once. He just developed a stutter." Dig said as Barry shrugged his shoulders.

"So, what brought you guys to Central City? I figure you guys stay in Starling." Naruto said.

"They do but they're here researching a murder and heard the SWAT raid over the radio. The team that was hit by a nasty metahuman who makes people angry." Barry told him.

"Cool." Felicity replied as Oliver looked at her. "I mean, awful."

"Well, since you guys are here how about we team up? I'll help you find your boomerang man, you can help us find our super rage-a-holic." Barry said.

"We'd love to." Felicity said.

"No, we'll handle our business and head home." Oliver told him.

"The fastest way to find out everything we need to know about the Boomerang is to sic STAR Labs on it." Felicity told him.

"Enough people know my secret identity as it is." Oliver told her as Felicity shrugged.

"Fine, I'll go. They already know who I am. You can drop me off and I will meet up with you later." Felicity said as Barry picked her up.

"How about I give you a lift?" Barry said as he carried Felicity and super sped away. Oliver and Diggle looked at Naruto who cleared his throat.

"Well, sorry for the abrupt exit but I'll make sure Barry doesn't do anything stupid. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Queen. Mr. Diggle." Naruto said as he left as well.

"Man, that's not freaking you out?!" Dig asked as Oliver was calm.

"Let's go." Oliver said.

Barry and Naruto super sped back to STAR Labs and appeared in the cortex as Barry put Felicity down.

"So, what'd you think?" Barry asked with a smile.

"I think…my shirt's on fire!" Felicity shouted as she quickly took it off and threw it on the ground as Barry stomped it out. Felicity grabbed her handbag and held it to her chest as Cisco and Caitlin walked in. "I'm glad I decided not to go braless."

"You guys remember Felicity?" Barry asked to Caitlin and Cisco.

"I'll always remember this." Cisco said as Caitlin grabbed a STAR Labs sweater.

"Hi, Felicity, it's so good to see you. What brings you back to Central City? Not Barry?" Caitlin asked as Felicity put on the sweater.

"No, not Barry. This? Not happening. We looked down that road and we said no, thank you." Felicity said.

"I think they get it." Naruto interrupted her as Caitlin and Cisco chuckled.

"Actually, I'm here…because of this." Felicity said as she took out the boomerang.

"Awesome! What are the wings made of?" Cisco asked as he went full gaga on the tech.

"Not sure. I'm thinking some sort of composite or high-density plastic." Felicity said.

"Reinforced with Carbon Fiber. Oh, that's weird. It almost feels like it's vibrating. Oh, I want to run some test and I want to run them now." Cisco said as he and Felicity went to the lab.

"Hey, you guys come up with anything new on our meta?" Barry asked.

"The officer who was affected tonight said he saw a flash of red before he lost control. I suspect the meta is inducing rage via the ocular nerve." Caitlin said.

"And did Joe get a name from the storage warehouse manager?" Naruto asked.

"No, he said the manager lawyered up. Oh, and Dr. Wells wants to see you both." Caitlin said as Barry looked at Naruto who shrugged.

They walked to the Cosmic Treadmill room where Dr. Wells and Joe were waiting. "Oh, why does it feel like we've been called into the principal's office?" Barry asked.

"The Starling City Vigilante." Joe said.

"He calls himself the Arrow now." Barry told him.

"Oh, does he, Flash?" Joe asked.

"Ok, tense situation aside. What's the problem?" Naruto asked.

"We don't trust him." Dr. Wells said.

"You guys don't even know him." Barry said.

"I know that he was wanted for murder in at least 12 different cases dating back three years." Joe said.

"I know there's been at least two major terrorist attacks in Starling since he became active." Dr. Wells said.

"All right, the cops are ok with him now. He doesn't kill people anymore." Barry said.

"And what about all the criminals he put arrows through? Those, what, don't count?" Joe asked.

"Depends on the criminal." Naruto said as Barry looked at him.

"No, it doesn't work like that. Our justice system is designed to handle criminals, this guy is just a crazy vigilante who takes the law into his own hands." Joe said.

"Isn't that what Barry and I do? What you help us to do? The only difference I can see now is that you know us. He's willing to put his life on the line to help people who the police failed. He's a hero, Joe." Naruto said.

"You're a hero, Naruto. You offer protection, hope, light. What that man does is carry out a dark reckoning for his city. It is a brutal, violent vision of justice, one which we do not share. You truly think he's a hero, fine, so be it. But he's not one you should be looking up to." Dr. Wells told Naruto.

"Dr. Wells, I get everything you said. But we have no idea what the Arrow has gone through or what he's lost that made him want to try and keep his city safe. And until I see something that shows me that the Arrow doesn't help people, I'll keep my judgement of him the same as it is." Naruto said when they glass shattering and a loud bang. Naruto, Barry, and Joe ran into the cortex to see Caitlin running with the boomerang flying around and smashing through glass. Barry and Joe ducked as the boomerang flew over their heads and began to turn around when Naruto reached out and caught it before it could do anymore damage.

"Cisco!" Naruto shouted as Cisco and Felicity ran in.

"That's on me, that's my bad." Cisco said as Naruto looked at him.

"I want that Arrow out of my city. Tonight." Joe said as he left.

Barry put his suit down and left while Naruto handed Cisco the boomerang and decided to do a little of his own research into the mysterious homicide that brought the Arrow to Central City.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Barry got a text from Felicity saying to meet her and Oliver at Jitters. He walked in and saw Felicity and Oliver sitting at a table together.

"Hey." Barry greeted them.

"The bad guy that you're after, the one who robbed the bank, his name is Roy G. Bivolo." Oliver told him as Barry was both happy and confused.

"Uh, thanks. How did you find that out?" Barry asked as he noticed Oliver didn't answer right away. "The guys still alive, right?"

Oliver then looked at him as Barry quickly shut up. "I'm just asking. I thought you didn't want to help."

"I'm not. It's just a name." Oliver said as Barry nodded.

"All right." Barry replied as Iris came over with their order.

"Hey. One non-fat latte, extra sugar for Felicity, and one coffee, black, for Oliver. I brewed you a fresh pot." Iris said as she was blushing a bit.

"Thank you." Oliver replied with a smile.

"Yeah, Barry. Um, can I talk to you for a second?" Iris asked as Barry nodded and the two walked away. When they were out of ear shot, she slapped his arm.

"Ow. What are you doing?" Barry asked as Iris slapped his arm again.

"You did not tell me that you knew Oliver Queen." Iris said, extremely excited.

"I know Oliver Queen." Barry replied, not liking how Iris was gushing over Oliver.

"Oh, my god. He's even more handsome in person. And his arms are, like, twice the size of yours." Iris said.

"Technically, there not twice the size." Barry corrected her.

"He's on my three list." Iris said.

"What's a three list?" Barry asked.

"My list of three guys I'm allowed to cheat on Eddie with. You usually don't meet people on your list, now here he is and I just cannot stop staring at him." Iris said as Barry was feeling jealous.

He was pulled out of his jealous thought when he heard the door to jitters open and saw Naruto walk in with a manila folder. "Hey, Barry." Naruto said as Barry waved. Naruto looked around and saw Felicity and Oliver so he walked over.

"Hey, Felicity." Naruto said as Felicity smiled. "Mr. Queen."

"Oliver, Naruto. Like I said, Oliver is fine." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, I'm glad you here because I think I got something you'll find interesting." Naruto said as he put the manila folder on the table.

"I thought STAR Labs was still running tests on the boomerang?" Felicity asked as Naruto nodded.

"They are but I got the dimensions and specs of the boomerang and it was enough to run my own search. So, when you showed us the boomerang, I wondered why someone would use it as a weapon? I mean, why not a gun or even knives?" Naruto asked.

"Probably because bullets and knives are pretty common. A metal boomerang is more obscure and harder to track." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Exactly. But it's also a unique calling card that is telling. So, I used a little of Felicity's hacking know how and some advice from my girlfriend and found some things I think can help you track down your killer…or should I say mercenary." Naruto said as he showed them dozens of articles from Australian and global newspaper articles detailing the murder rising political figures, corporate executives, and other high value people.

"How did you get this?" Oliver asked as he looked it over.

"I figured that the boomerang might be more of a clue than just being a weapon but also as a tell of the killer's character and background. Maybe Australian military and it became the signature of a soldier. Now, the military's records are sealed tight from hacking so I approached it from another angle and used the information from your homicide and did a search for others." Naruto said.

"But there must be hundreds of thousands of deaths every day, how did that help?" Felicity asked.

"My girlfriend's a reporter and she told me that for any of the murders they report, the slightest detail they can report that makes it more unusual or eye catching for readers, they put it in. So, with a little computer know how I got from Felicity, I managed to find a few bizarre or strange murders where the weapon was knife-like. After that, I did a quick hack into the morgue reports of those murders and found the cause of death on the wounds matched the boomerang." Naruto said as Oliver looked over the articles.

"I'm so proud." Felicity said like a proud mother as Naruto chuckled.

"I figured the guy must be Australian military, maybe special forces before he left. The earliest murders started in Australia a few years ago before moving throughout Russia and then the rest of Europe. Afterward, I had a hard time finding more as they were more spread out but I figured it might be something that can help you. Maybe Felicity can find out something I can't." Naruto said as Oliver looked at Naruto.

"Thank you." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Happy to help." Naruto replied as he walked away to get a cup of coffee.

"He's smart." Oliver said as Felicity smiled at Naruto.

"And someone who looks up to you." Felicity said as Oliver sighed. "Why don't you want to help with Barry's case?"

"Because Barry doesn't really want my help. He just thinks he does. And with Naruto here, he's got more than enough backup." Oliver said.

"Harrison Wells and Barry's cop foster dad both said you were dangerous and a bad influence. Barry and Naruto defended and vouched for you." Felicity said as Oliver looked at her.

"You're going to hock me about this until I say yes, aren't you?" Oliver asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'm a hocker." Felicity said as Oliver nodded, stood up and walked over to Barry.

"Ok." Oliver said as Barry was confused.

"Ok, what?" Barry asked.

"Ok, we'll help you catch your bad guy." Oliver said.

"Great. Metahuman." Barry corrected him.

"I am not calling him that, Barry." Oliver said as Barry nodded.

"Partners?" Barry asked with his hand out.

"Partners." Oliver replied as he shook his hand. "Tell Naruto and meet me at the substation in three hours."

Barry went over to talk to Naruto and tell him to meet Oliver and him at the substation in three hours. Barry went to work while Naruto went to grab lunch with Linda and after he'd go to the substation. Naruto arrived at the substation about 45 minutes ahead of time so he relaxed. He walked around and stretched a bit before he got bored so he passed the time by throwing punches and pretending to fight bad guys with kung fu knowledge which Naruto knew absolutely nothing of.

He threw out some punches with a three-punch combo, uppercut and then a spin kick. "Not bad."

"AH!" Naruto shouted as he turned and saw Oliver standing there. "Jesus, you scared the crap out of me. How long have you been waiting here?"

"About 5 minutes watching you fight." Oliver said as Naruto was embarrassed.

"Well…this is awkward." Naruto said as he cleared his throat.

"You got here early." Oliver said.

"Yeah, kind of a habit of mine. What about you?" Naruto asked.

"I was getting some stuff ready. Nice combo and spin kick, unrefined and sloppy but potential." Oliver said.

"I took some self-defense classes in college. And I like action movies. So, how are we going to catch Bivolo?" Naruto asked.

"We're not here to catch Bivolo, we're here to train." Oliver said as Naruto was excited.

"Awesome, so what's the first step?" Naruto asked.

"What exactly can you and Barry do? I imagine it just doesn't have to do with running fast." Oliver said.

"Well, we've broken the sound barrier but it's not just running fast. We also think really fast and our reflexes are the same. Plus, we heal fast which helps with the scrapes we've gotten in." Naruto said as Oliver nodded.

"And it probably has happened a lot." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, this whole hero thing is definitely a learning curve and there have been some close calls. Was it easy for you when you first became…you?" Naruto asked, trying to figure out the best way to say it as Oliver looked at him.

"No, but I had five years of training in a kill or be killed environment. And even now I'm still learning and training. A lesson you and Barry need to take to heart if you're going to continue this life." Oliver said as Naruto nodded. "Felicity told me a lot about some of the people and where you've fought. Last month, you fought a man named Leonard Snart."

"Captain Cold." Naruto said.

"I'm not calling him that." Oliver said as Naruto nodded. "You engaged him on a commuter train which he then derailed."

"Yeah, it was a trap. But we managed to save everyone." Naruto said as Oliver looked at him.

"But he got away. He knew you were coming and set a trap." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, something that has happened a few times since. But I've gotten better at it, and I don't run in blind anymore." Naruto said as Oliver nodded.

"Good, never run in blind. Especially with you and Barry, you have all the time to case an environment and analyze the situation before you act. If you don't, people could get killed." Oliver said as he walked over to his bike as Naruto followed him. "Naruto, you need to learn that there's a difference between having powers and having precision."

Oliver walked over to his bike, grabbed his bow and an arrow. "Living this life is dangerous, especially with the type of criminals you might be facing. It's not going to be enough to be fast, you'll also need to be smart. Discipline, is key." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Ok." Naruto said.

"Now I want you to run over there. Run at me and try to catch this arrow." Oliver said as Naruto nodded and he ran back about 10 meters.

"Ready?!" Naruto shouted as Oliver nocked his arrow.

"Ready." Oliver replied as Naruto ran straight at him and caught the arrow that Oliver shot. But then, two hidden crossbows shot Naruto in the back.

"ARH!" Naruto shouted as he dropped the arrow. Oliver walked over to Naruto and pulled the arrows out. "ARGH! You said to catch your arrow."

"I did but I also said there's a difference between powers and precision. Just because you think you can do something, your arrogance can get you killed. Discipline is key." Oliver said as Naruto nodded and hissed as his back stun.

"Got it, but I've never done stuff like this. It's not something I can just learn. You had years to train." Naruto said as he took off his jacket and saw the two holes.

"Which is why we're going to train." Oliver said as he grabbed a bag off his bike. He and Naruto walked back over to the substation. "Discipline is something that is honed, just like any other muscle in your body. Felicity tells me that like Barry, you're expertise is in science."

"Yeah, I was a physics and engineering major in college and I've been studying those fields since I could read." Naruto said as Oliver put the bag down.

"And I assume that to get where you are now you studied for it." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, lots of long nights and headaches that put the arrow wound to shame." Naruto said as he rolled his shoulder. "Almost."

"The same applies out in the field. You train your instincts and abilities till you understand them and your limitations. Discipline then becomes your second nature." Oliver said as he stood close to Naruto. "Punch me."

"Excuse me?" Naruto asked.

"Punch me." Oliver said as Naruto could tell he was serious.

"Ok." Naruto said as he winded up and punched Oliver but Oliver grabbed and locked his arm, then threw Naruto over his shoulder and onto the ground hard. "Ah, shit."

"Don't wind up for a punch, it makes you predictable and leaves you open." Oliver said as he helped Naruto to his feet. "I know you can move faster than I can see but you train at normal speed, the results apply when you move fast. Now, hit me."

Naruto then threw out some jabs and punches as Oliver blocked them all and kicked Naruto back. "ARGH!" Naruto grunted in pain as he threw another punch but Oliver blocked and trapped his arm, then Oliver did a sweep kick and knocked Naruto onto his back.

"Shit!" Naruto said as he felt the wind get knocked out of him.

"Discipline comes through hard training. Don't give up." Oliver said as he held his hand out to Naruto who nodded and grabbed it. He tried to throw Oliver over his shoulder but Oliver did a reversal and put Naruto in a head lock.

"Ack…" Naruto said as he tapped Oliver on the shoulder and he let him go.

"Now you're starting to understand. Think, anticipate, adapt. Use whatever you can for the situation." Oliver said as Naruto did his three-punch combo, uppercut, and spin kick but Oliver blocked the punches, moved back to avoid the uppercut, and ducked under the kick. Oliver then threw out his own punches as Naruto managed to block them but Oliver kicked out his leg and threw him over his shoulder.

"Damn." Naruto said as he stood up and rubbed his shoulder.

"You're starting to get the hang of it." Oliver said.

"Just a clarification. How is me getting my ass kicked help my discipline?" Naruto asked.

"It's training. You've held your own so far but if you really want to help and really make a difference out there, you need to understand something. Super speed and powers may keep you from getting hurt or killed but soon you will encounter someone or something you can't handle. So, you need to keep training and get smarter and until you do, despite your best intentions, you will do more harm than good." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"Right, just wanted to check." Naruto said.

Oliver walked over to his bag and grabbed two pairs of fighting sticks and a bottle of water. "Drink." Oliver said as he tossed Naruto the bottle. Naruto took a long drink as he put the bottle down and Oliver handed him two fighting sticks. "Now, this exercise helps train your reaction and ability to adapt in a fight. Just concentrate on the exercise."

Oliver walked Naruto through the exercise as they began fighting with the sticks and Naruto was slowly getting the hang of it. Don't get it wrong, Oliver still hit Naruto every now and then but with his accelerated healing, the bruises would heal in an hour. And Naruto was determined to soak everything Oliver was telling him.

Naruto and Oliver had been training for about an hour and he was getting better. Naruto and Oliver were sparring with the sticks as Naruto managed to parry one of Oliver's strikes and lashed out with his own downward strike which Oliver blocked.

"Nice." Oliver said as Naruto relaxed and saw Barry walk up to them so Oliver hit him across the face. **(1)**

"Ah, shit. What was that for?" Naruto asked as Oliver grabbed Naruto's sticks.

"Now you learned the hard way about how distractions can get you in trouble or killed." Oliver said as Naruto rubbed his cheek and grabbed the water bottle.

"So, having fun?" Barry asked as Naruto looked at him.

"Yeah, fun." Naruto replied as Oliver put the sticks away.

"You're late. Barry, how can you have super speed and still not be on time?" Oliver asked as Barry chuckled nervously.

"Sorry, I guess the super tardiness kind of neutralizes it." Barry replied. "So, how are we gonna catch Bivolo here?"

"We're not here to catch Bivolo, we're here to train." Oliver said as Barry was surprised.

"Train like Rocky? Like I saw you hit Naruto?" Barry asked as Oliver looked at him.

"I read your friend Iris' blog post on the Flash before it was taken down. And I visited all the crime scenes you fought at. Last month, you and Naruto took on a man named Leonard Snart." Oliver said.

"We call him Captain Cold." Barry replied with a smile.

"We can talk about you giving your enemies silly code names later." Oliver said.

"You mean like over coffee with Deathstroke and the Huntress?" Barry joked while Oliver remained serious.

"The point, is that you engaged Snart on a commuter train, which he derailed." Oliver told him.

"Ok, there may have been some damage, but I got the job done, I was the hero." Barry said.

"Barry, when you approach a new environment, do you case every inch of it?" Oliver asked as Barry didn't answer. "You could. You have the time. But you don't."

Oliver walked over to his bike as Barry rolled his eyes and followed him. "You just run in blind. There's a difference, Barry, between having powers and having precision." Oliver told him.

"Ok, when I came to you thinking about going out and helping people, you said I could be an inspiration." Barry said as they plus Naruto walked over to Oliver's bike where Oliver was about to give Barry the same lesson he gave Naruto.

"Living this life, well it takes more than a mask. It takes discipline. And since you are probably as stubborn as I am this is the best way to teach you." Oliver said.

"What is that for?" Barry asked, pointing to Oliver's bow.

"You're gonna run over there, you're gonna come back at me, and you're gonna get hit with an arrow." Oliver said as Barry chuckled.

"No, I'm not." Barry said, confidently.

"Yeah, you are." Naruto said as Barry was smiled.

"Ok, fine. I will humor you." Barry said as he ran back 30 yards. "Ready?!"

"Ready." Oliver said as he pulled the arrow back. Oliver released the arrow as Barry ran forward and caught it.

"Nice try." Barry said with a smile, thinking he got one over on Oliver when two crossbows places in the ground shot Barry in the back. "GAH! AH! You shot me?!"

"I heard you heal fast." Oliver said as he yanked them out and Barry yelled in pain.

After the brief lesson of pain and Oliver lecturing Barry, Barry went back to the CCPD for an update on the case and to STAR Labs while Naruto stayed with Oliver to train. Barry said they should head back but Naruto said he'd be back later if they got a trace on Bivolo and in the meantime, he'd train with Oliver. Oliver honed Naruto's skill and with a lot of painful bruises and cuts, Naruto was slowly learning and Oliver was impressed with Naruto's dedication.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Naruto learned that Barry tried to go after Bivolo by himself and it led to Barry getting hit by Bivolo's powers and he got away. Barry wasn't affected but Naruto hoped that after dealing with Girder, that was the end of Barry's solo act. Naruto went to the substation again in the afternoon to train with Oliver.

Naruto and Oliver were training with the fighting sticks as Naruto's reaction and ability to adapt in a fight situation were getting better. Oliver still kicked his butt but Naruto was getting there. Naruto took a break as Oliver called Barry to talk to him.

Naruto sat on the ground, drinking some water, and wiping his face with a towel as Oliver waited. "Thinking of new ways to embarrass me?" Barry asked as Oliver turned around.

"I'm not trying to embarrass you, Barry, but you went after Bivolo last night alone and you lost him." Oliver said as Naruto stood up.

"I thought we agreed we were partners on this, Barry. What happened to us working together?" Naruto asked.

"I didn't need a sidekick to help me take down one bad meta." Barry said, annoyed as Naruto looked at him.

"Sidekick? I thought we were partners. And it seems like you could have used my help seeing as Bivolo got away last night." Naruto said. "Barry, he could have had a trap set up for you. You could have gotten killed."

"I'm fine. And to be honest, I didn't think you could take yourself away from your new teacher and his extremely painful and embarrassing training method." Barry said in an annoyed tone as Naruto was getting a little annoyed at how rude Barry was being. It was very off character.

"Barry, everything Oliver's been teaching you and I is to help us out there. He's got years of experience that we don't. It's stupid not to listen to him. Maybe you should and last night's misstep wouldn't have happened." Naruto replied.

"And the great Oliver has never had a misstep?" Barry asked.

"Of course, I've had missteps. Barry, I have been living this life for almost eight years, encountering things that you can't even fathom, and I am still alive. Not because super speed kept me out of the ground. It was because I realized that I needed to keep learning, keep training, keep getting smarter, and until you get that, despite your best intentions, you will do more harm than good." Oliver told him as Barry was annoyed and pissed off.

"I finally see it. You're a little jealous about me, aren't you? I mean, a guy like you. Handsome, rich, can have any girls he wants, jealousy's probably a new emotion for you, so you might be a little slow to get what it is that you're feeling." Barry said.

"That's your theory?" Oliver asked.

"Absolutely. So you can train, lift weights, climb that stupid bar till your heart explodes, but you'll never be as fast as I am. You'll never be what I am. And that's gotta hurt your rock-hard pride, Ollie." Barry said as he got in Oliver's fast as Naruto tried to keep him back.

"Whoa, take it easy, Barry. Maybe we should just take a breath and calm down." Naruto said as Barry shoved Naruto's hands away.

"Get your hands off of me." Barry said as he got in Naruto's face. "You may have my powers, but I'm the fastest man alive. And to be honest, I'm getting sick and tired of holding your hand and looking out for the kid in my group. You must think you're so better than me, don't you Naruto? I mean, two brilliant scientists for parents, Dr. Wells as a mentor all your life and now all that money and future Nobel prize winning invention."

"Barry, I've never thought that. We're friends." Naruto said as Barry looked at him.

"We're not friends, teammates or even partners. You're nothing compared to me. And honestly, I think you're just trying to make up for the shame you must have felt, abandoning everything your parents worked hard for before they died. At least I didn't quit. You? First sign of heartbreak and sadness and you abandoned everything with your tail between your legs." Barry said as Oliver separated them.

"That's enough." Oliver said as Barry scoffed as Barry sped away.

Oliver looked at Naruto who was frozen in a mix of shock, anger, and shame. Oliver pat him on the shoulder and could tell Naruto was holding in either crying or shouting in anger. "You ok?" Oliver asked as Naruto shook his head no.

"No. But that can wait. Something's wrong with Barry." Naruto said.

"Yeah, something's definitely wrong and I think it has to do with your meta." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"I'll head to STAR Labs." Naruto said as he walked over and grabbed his jacket.

"Naruto." Oliver said as Naruto looked at him. "I may not know you as well as Barry, but from what I've seen…there's no reason you should feel ashamed at all."

Naruto nodded and super sped away and arrived at STAR Labs to see everyone in the cortex. "Naruto, what's wrong?" Caitlin asked.

"A lot but that can wait because we've got a problem. It's Barry." Naruto said.

"What's wrong with Barry?" Felicity asked.

"A major case of repressed anger with a touch of rudeness. He flipped out at me and the Arrow. A lot of it repressed but I think he's being affected by Bivolo's power." Naruto said.

"That's not good." Caitlin said.

"You can say that again." They heard Joe said as he walked in. "He's been whammied. He was acting angry. It was scary. And his eyes…they glowed red."

"It's possible that his body is fighting off the effect, so it's hitting him slower." Caitlin said.

"When it comes to rage, that is not a good thing. The longer you suppress your emotions…" "The bigger the fallout." Naruto said, finishing Dr. Wells train of thought.

"Considering what he can do, how do we even stop him?" Joe asked.

"A cold-gun would come in real handy right about now." Cisco said.

"Hey." Joe replied.

"I'm just saying." Cisco stated.

"I'll stop Barry. But we'll need to configure the pipeline to hold him until we figure out how to reverse the effects." Naruto said as Caitlin was worried.

"Naruto, are you ready for this?" Caitlin asked as Naruto shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure if I ever would be ready to fight a friend but I'll do it." Naruto said.

"He won't do it alone. Fortunately, Ms. Smoak knows someone who can help. I think you should call Oliver Queen and tell him to get ready. Impulse is gonna need the Arrow's help." Dr. Wells said as Joe, Cisco and Caitlin looked at Felicity who was shocked that Dr. Wells knew.

"He really is a genius." Naruto said as he walked over to his suit and in a blur, was suited up. "Cisco, find Barry and keep me updated. Dr. Wells, figure out a way to fix Barry."

Naruto super sped out of STAR Labs and raced over to the substation where Oliver was adjusting some trick arrows. "Felicity texted me." Oliver said as he turned to see Naruto in his suit.

"I'm sorry Dr. Wells found out but I could use some help making sure Barry doesn't hurt anyone. Or me." Naruto said as Oliver nodded. He got suited up in his green hoodie, hooked his quiver and put on his mask as Naruto handed him a spare earpiece.

" **Let's go."** Oliver said as he got on his bike and drove away. Naruto was about to run when his comm system beeped.

"Cisco, tell me you found him." Naruto said.

" _We found him. He's downtown, intersection of Howard and Bleaker street. And he's gone after Eddie."_ Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"Got it. Did Dr. Wells figure something out?" Naruto asked.

" _He did. He and Joe are getting it set up. You ready, Impulse?"_ Cisco asked as Naruto put his goggles on as his eyes flickered with lightning.

"Ready." Naruto said as he sped through the city towards the intersection.

Barry in his Flash suit, attacked Eddie and threw him onto the street, completely consumed by his jealous rage. Eddie tried shooting him but Barry just dodged the bullets. Eddie tried to tackle him but Barry grabbed and threw him down the street.

"Eddie!" Iris shouted.

" **Who the hell are you, huh?! You think you can just come along and have whatever you want?! What gives you the right?!"** Flash shouted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Eddie asked as he crawled away.

"What are you doing? What has happened to you?" Iris asked the Flash.

" **I feel fine."** Flash replied as he walked over to Eddie.

"You are not fine!" Iris shouted.

" **How would you know? Because you write about me? You don't know me! You don't know who I am! You never did!"** Flash shouted as his eyes flashed red.

"I know that you have risked your life to help people, to save them! Someone who does that does not suddenly turn around and want to hurt people. Please!" Iris begged as Barry's eyes glowed red again and he was too consumed with rage to think of mercy. He grabbed Eddie, ready to finish him when he was tackled from the side and sent tumbling down the street by Impulse.

Impulse grabbed Eddie and ran him over to Iris. Iris hugged Eddie as she looked at Impulse who turned to see the Flash getting back up. " **GO! I'll handle him!"** Impulse told them as Iris and Eddie ran back to her car and drove to the hospital.

Naruto turned around to see Barry standing on his feet and extremely pissed off as he was seething with anger and his eyes kept flashing red. "Flash, this isn't you! Bivolo's power is messing with your head! You need to calm down!" Impulse shouted.

"Stop saying that!" Flash shouted as he charged forward with a flurry of punches that Impulse blocked and he countered with a push kick that knocked him back. While Flash's attention was on Impulse, high-tensile strength wires wrapped around his body and he was pulled away. Flash fell on his back and grunted in anger as he looked up to see the Arrow had hooked him. The Arrow shot another jettison arrow and a second series of wires wrapped around the Flash as Impulse grabbed the anchor.

" **You need to calm down."** Arrow said.

"And you two need to hold on!" Flash said as he grabbed the wire and ran, dragging the Arrow and Impusle across the cement before he stopped and they tumbled across the pavement.

"Crap." Impulse said as he felt the road rash.

Flash walked up to them, ready to beat them senseless as the Arrow fired two arrows that flew past the Flash and hit a garbage can.

"You missed." Flash said, smug.

" **No."** Arrow replied as the arrows exploded and sent the Flash flying away.

Flash groaned as he stood up even more pissed off but the Arrow and Impusle were gone. He looked around when he was hit in the back of the shoulder with an arrow.

" **4,000 milligrams of Horse Tranquilizer. Affects even a speedster like you. Should be hitting you anytime now."** Arrow said as the Flash slumped to his knees, sluggish and dizzy. He pulled the arrow out of his shoulder and tossed it to the ground.

The Flash managed to stand on his feet and to Impulse's surprise, began vibrating his body at such high speeds that the green tranquilizer phased out of his body like a mist of vapor.

"That's new." Impulse said as he looked at Oliver. "Hang back. Take shots when you see an opening, I'll handle him."

" **You can do this. Just remember your training: think, anticipate and adapt."** Arrow said as he fired a grapple arrow to get a high vantage point.

The Flash turned around to see Impulse and glared at him with soul-searing hate. "All right, Flash. Time to really see who's faster." Impulse said as the two charged at each other. To Oliver and the team back at STAR Labs watching on the security cameras, it looked like Naruto and Barry ran at each other and then a large vortex of spinning yellow, orange, and white lightning lit up the alley like a Christmas tree.

That's what the fight looked like to a normal person, but to Impulse and Flash, they were in a no holds bar fight at super speed. Barry and Naruto where throwing out punches left and right as both dodged and landed solid hits against one another. They stopped moving at super speed as Naruto blocked Barry's wild haymaker and landed a right cross across the face. He then followed that up with a punch to the gut and then another cross to the face as Barry was knocked back. Barry growled as he threw out a series of speed punches that Naruto managed to block or evade. Naruto caught Barry's last punch, grabbed his arm, and then threw him over his shoulder like Oliver had done to him dozens of times in training.

" _Whoa, wasn't expecting that."_ Caitlin said over the comms, watching the fight over the traffic cameras. She was quite shocked that Naruto managed to do that and it looked professional…or semi-professional.

" _Dang, Naruto got some Bruce Lee moves."_ Cisco said. _"I guess all that training paid off. To be honest, I didn't think he'd do it."_

"Not helpful, Cisco." Naruto said as he ducked under a wild haymaker and kicked Barry back.

Oliver pressed a button on his bow and his bike down the alley fired two small arrows which Barry turned and caught. "Fool me once." Flash said.

Oliver then fired a grey metallic tipped arrow near Flash's foot and it exploded in a huge cloud of smoke. Impulse pressed a switch on his goggles and it turned to thermal mode and got a clear picture of Barry.

"It's time to end this." Naruto said as he super sped forward and hit Barry with a barrage of speed punches all over his body and Barry wasn't able to fight back because he was fighting smoke inhalation and no visible line of sight. Naruto focused and began vibrating his hands and decided to end the fight with an increased mass punch combo. He punched Barry across the face, uppercut him, knocking him off his feet and into the air and then punched him in the stomach and sent him flying 40 feet away, tumbling down the alley.

Barry groaned in pain as he managed to use his arms and push himself up. Naruto ran up to him and grabbed him from behind, holding him still. "Dr. Wells, now!" Impulse shouted as a STAR Labs van swerved into the alley and the side door opened up to reveal 8 large lights. The lights began flickering between different colors and spectrums of light. Barry looked at the lights and soon his eyes flickered red before they returned back to their normal color.

Naruto felt Barry stop struggling so he let him go and Barry struggled to stand. Barry groaned in pain as he felt both the aches and injuries from his fight with Naruto and from the massive headache he got when he felt cured of Bivolo's powers. Oliver and everyone else waited to see what happened as Barry managed to turn around.

"Barry? You ok?" Naruto asked as Barry looked at Naruto.

"Naruto…I'm sorry." Barry said before he fell back and passed out. Naruto knelt down as Joe got out of the car to check on Barry. Oliver used his grapple arrow and rappelled from the building to get to ground level."

" **Is he ok?"** Arrow asked.

"Yeah, just passed out from the pain. He'll be fine with some rest." Naruto said as Joe picked Barry up and put him in the truck. Naruto turned and saw Oliver walk up to him. "Thanks, Arrow. For everything."

" **Don't mention it. You did good. While we saved Barry, we still have your metahuman to take care of. Still have anything left in the tank?"** Arrow asked as Naruto smirked.

"If not, that's why it's best to go in with some help." Naruto said as Oliver smirked. Naruto grabbed Oliver's shoulder. "Cisco, do you have a location on Bivolo?"

" _Yeah, traffic cam got him heading south on Easton Street."_ Cisco said.

"Got it." Naruto said as he looked at Oliver. "Hang on."

Naruto raced through the city carrying Oliver on their way to stop Bivolo. Bivolo was driving a stolen car filled with the money he stole and was on his way out of the city. He was nearing the tunnel when one of his tires popped and his car began to swerve so he hit the brakes and swerved to a stop. Bivolo got out of the car with his sunglasses on and saw the Starling City Vigilante down the street with his bow. Bivolo grabbed the money and turned to leave when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.

He turned to see Naruto standing there in his suit with his goggles on and the lenses were tinted. "It's over, Bivolo. The only place you're going is prison." Impulse said.

"Relax, there's no need to lose your head." Bivolo said as he took off his glasses and his eyes glowed red. He smirked and waited for Impulse to go homicidal when he noticed nothing happened. Impulse just stood there. "What's going on?"

"Oh, what's wrong?" Impulse asked as Bivolo tried again but nothing.

"You should be going crazy right now." Bivolo said as he tried again but the result was the same as before.

"Oh, you mean why I'm not frothing at the mouth and going into a raged-induced frenzy?" Impulse asked as he tapped his goggles. "Tinted lenses. A little thing I made for running when it's super sunny outside. And it just so happened to be great at negating your powers."

Impulse then ran around Bivolo in a blur and stopped to reveal Bivolo was handcuffed and a blindfold was tied around his eyes. "It's over, Bivolo. You won't be hurting anyone anymore." Impulse said as Oliver walked up.

" **Nicely done, Impulse."** Arrow said as Impulse smirked.

"Like you said, never go in without a plan." Impulse said as he tapped his goggles and Oliver chuckled.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and Oliver took Bivolo back to STAR Labs where Cisco had a cell prepped for him with a reflective glass surface so Bivolo's powers wouldn't work on anyone who went to see him.

"You think this will stop me?! I'll make you tear each other to pieces! You'll all die!" Bivolo shouted as Cisco closed the cell door and walked away.

"Blah blah blah, no prison can hold me, heard it all before pal. Adios, Prism." Cisco said as they walked away.

"I liked Rainbow Raider." Caitlin told him.

"Ok, you don't get to pick the names." Cisco told her as Oliver looked around the pipeline and was impressed.

"I have a prison like this. Mine's on a nearly inhospitable island in the North China Sea, but this works too." Oliver said.

"We can't all have islands. And when it comes to dealing with powers, this is best." Naruto told him as they walked to the cortex as Barry hung back, thinking of how to apologize.

Team Flash gathered in the cortex so Oliver could talk to them before they leave. "My identity is a closely guarded secret known only to a few. If it were to get out, it would endanger my family, my friends and embolden my enemies to attack me through them." Oliver said as Felicity walked up to him.

"What Oliver is trying to say is that Oliver had a lovely time meeting all of you, getting to know all of you and he can't wait to do it again soon." Felicity said with a smile.

"Right." Oliver said.

"You know what, it didn't sound like what he was saying." Cisco said as Naruto pat his shoulder and walked up to Oliver.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with us. I swear my life on it." Naruto said as he held his hand out. "It was an honor working with you. And thank you…for everything."

Oliver smiled and shook Naruto's hand. "Keep up your training, and you'll go on to do amazing things. I can tell." Oliver said as Naruto smiled.

Joe walked up to Oliver and held his hand out. "I may not agree with your methods, but Naruto's right. I shouldn't judge someone until I know them. Thank you." Joe said as Oliver shook his hand.

"Your welcome." Oliver said as Cisco grabbed a thumb drive from the computer and tossed it to Naruto.

"Everything we could get on the boomerang. Hopefully this will help." Naruto said as Oliver smiled and took the drive.

"Thanks, Naruto." Oliver said.

"And should you ever need an upgrade or technical support, just call." Naruto said as Oliver nodded while Felicity walked over to Caitlin.

"If I gave you a DNA strand that I couldn't fully breakdown, do you think you could isolate the genetic markers for me?" Felicity asked.

"Sure, what's the sample from?" Caitlin asked.

"The Canary's murder." Felicity said as Caitlin nodded.

"Of course." Caitlin said as she hugged Felicity.

"Mr. Queen." Dr. Wells said as he strolled up to him. "I met your father once. A charity event. One of things we spoke of, was you. I think…he'd be very proud of the man you've become."

"Thank you. And please, call me Oliver." Oliver said as he shook Dr. Wells hand and he and Felicity left as Barry walked in. Joe noticed Barry walk in and saw him walk over to Naruto who was looking at his suit.

"Naruto." Barry said as Naruto turned.

"Hey, Barry." Naruto replied as Barry rubbed the back of his head, nervously.

"Look, I don't think there's anything I can say to tell you how sorry I am for how I acted or what I said but I'm sorry." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"It's all right. Bivolo whammied you, it's fine. Although, you might want to see a therapist for all that anger you had bottled up." Naruto joked as Barry chuckled.

"No, I think I got it all out." Barry said as he sat down in a chair as Naruto smirked. Barry rubbed his face and exhaled. "But I'm really sorry. To all of you of how I acted and that you had to stop me."

"It's fine, Barry. Really." Caitlin said.

"No problem, dude. Part of the job." Cisco said.

"And don't worry, Barry. We'll get your dad out." Joe said as Barry nodded.

"Just don't make this a habit, Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells said as Barry nodded.

"Actually, I think I have a way to teach Barry never to run off on his own again." Naruto said with a smile as everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

"Well, Joe, all is forgiven with Barry but I think a nice reminder of what can happen should he go rogue again would be a nice deterrent from something like this happening in the future." Naruto said as he held his hands behind his back with a delightful smile.

"What kind of deterrent?" Caitlin asked, suspicious.

"Well, me knocking your butt around the alley was fun but I believe something…else is best suited to make you remember that this is a team effort. So, I will submit you to 8 of the most embarrassing and soul crushing pranks I can think off." Naruto said as he smiled at Barry like sociopath would.

"Oh no." Dr. Wells said.

"Really, pranks? Like whoopie cushions and fart spray?" Cisco asked, thinking Naruto was joking.

"Oh, believe me, Cisco. When it comes to pranks, Naruto takes it to a whole different level. An artist level, really." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled and bowed dramatically.

"Thank you, Dr. Wells. While I was in middle school, let's say I had a bit of a…devious side when it comes to getting equal with people who were bullies. So, to make sure that Barry won't do something stupid again, I believe 8 embarrassing, soul crushing pranks shall suffice as a nice reminder." Naruto said.

"Naruto, don't you think that's a little juvenile?" Caitlin said.

"It's either this or we zap him every time he goes off on his own." Naruto said as Barry chuckled.

"Fine, pranks it is. So, when does this prank assault start?" Barry asked, amused at how childish Naruto was acting when he noticed Naruto's smirk.

"Oh, it started about…5 minutes ago." Naruto said as Barry stood up but couldn't. He tried to stand up but his butt wouldn't leave the chair. He managed to get on his feet but the chair came with him, completely glued to his pants. Joe, Cisco, and Caitlin chuckled as they saw Naruto had super glued Barry's butt to the chair.

" **[Laughing]** Super glue butt to the chair?" Joe asked as Naruto smirked. He super sped to the lab and came back holding a can of gorilla glue.

"Please, gorilla glue, Joe." Naruto said with a smile as Barry looked annoyed.

"All right, nice shot." Barry said as he managed to super speed to the med lab and came back wearing some STAR Lab sweat pants since his jeans were gorilla glued to the chair. "7 more, how hard can this be. I'll see you guys later."

Barry walked out of the cortex, scratching his butt as Naruto chuckled while everyone looked at him. He pulled out a packet from his pocket, showing extra-strength itching powder. "Number 2 for the day." Naruto said with a smirk.

"Wow, you plan ahead." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

"The first part of a prank war is to think three steps ahead. And speaking of number three…" Naruto said as he waited and everyone heard the sound of water hitting the ground and Barry screaming.

"AHH! NARUTO!" Barry shouted as Naruto sighed happily.

"Number three." Naruto said as everyone chuckled but were also a bit frightened as this devious side of Naruto. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun."

"Geez, I never knew Naruto could be scary." Cisco said.

"Believe me, Cisco. You've seen nothing yet." Dr. Wells said.

 **Prank #4**

Joe was at CCPD talking to the desk sergeant when he heard some police officers laughing. He turned and on reflex began laughing as well as he saw Barry disembark the elevator dressed normally and with his bag, scratching his legs but the biggest thing was that Barry's hair was dyed bright pink. Barry grumbled as he walked into the CCPD with his normal brown hair dyed a nice bright pink like you would see with Strawberry ice-cream.

"Morning, Joe." Barry said as Joe chuckled.

"Hey, Barr. Naruto got you again, didn't he?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, he must have laced my shampoo with this stuff. I just hope it goes away soon." Barry said as he touched his hair and scratched his thigh with his other hand.

"Allen! Where's the report for…" Captain Singh was cut off as he looked at Barry. "What on earth happened to you?"

"I found myself on the bad end of a prankster." Barry said.

"Well, get back to work. And if you need directions…the lollipop guild is down the yellow brick road." Singh joked as Joe and everyone laughed as Barry's cheeks turned red in embarrassment as he quickly went to his lab.

 **Prank #5**

Barry was working in his lab, scratching his legs because of the itching powder Naruto put in those sweatpants. As he was working, he felt some water hit his hand. He was confused and looked up to see something slightly sticking out from behind the ceiling light. Barry stood up and got a better look and saw a slightly tilted bucket of water. Barry chuckled as he stood on his chair to remove the bucket before it soaked him and got his work station all wet.

He removed the bucket and got down from the chair but as soon as he got on the ground, he slipped on something slippery and fell on his back. The bucket of water that Barry took down to prevent himself from getting wet fell on him and soaked him in water. Barry groaned as he spat some water out of his mouth and noticed there was something attached to the bottom of his chair. It was device that released car wax as soon as Barry removed the bucket…Naruto thought ahead.

"Dammit." Barry said as he got up, soaked in water but at least his workstation was dry. Barry walked over to his foot locker to get a change of clothes but as soon as he opened it, he was hit in the face by a super-fast flower bomb and had white flour all over his body. Barry coughed as the flour mixed with the water and began to form a paste on his body. Barry noticed a camera and a note on the flower bomb delivery system and it read, _this two-parter prank still counts as one. Three more to go._ And there was small drawing of a smiling Naruto doing the peace sign as Barry grumbled.

"This is going to suck." Barry said to himself.

 **Prank #6**

Naruto, Cisco, Linda, and Caitlin were at Jitter for a coffee break as Iris brought over their order consisting of a cappuccino, one Espresso, a dark coffee, and a hazelnut roasted blend. The door to Jitters opened and they heard gasps and people snickering. Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, and Naruto looked and Naruto began chuckling with a grin. Cisco and Linda began snickering while Caitlin and Iris gasped in shock.

Barry walked into Jitter, still with his pink hair but his entire face was now colored dark blue, like Barry was a member of the Blue Man group. Barry sighed as he slowly walked over to Naruto and the others as Naruto chuckled and took a picture with his phone.

"Hey, Barry. Feeling a little blue?" Naruto joked as he, Cisco and Linda laughed as Barry was blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh my god, Barry. What happened?" Iris asked.

"I'm on the wrong side of prank assault by Naruto." Barry said as Iris looked at Naruto who snickered as he sipped his coffee.

"Naruto, don't you think these pranks are a little childish?" Iris asked as Naruto smiled.

"Maybe, but they are great for getting a point across for Barry to learn." Naruto said.

"Sure. So, tough it out Barry. It's not that bad. I mean…how many jokes can people make about you being blue…da ba de da ba die." Linda joked as Naruto and Cisco laughed and even Iris and Caitlin chuckled at Linda's joke.

"Ha ha, very funny." Barry said as he walked away.

"Barry, don't worry, that stuff should wash out by tonight." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

"But before you go…can you tell me how smurfing mad you are right now?" Cisco said as the dam broke and Naruto, Cisco, Linda, Caitlin, and Iris laughed as Barry left.

"And that's 6." Naruto said.

 **Prank #7**

The next day, the blue paint covering Barry's face had washed away and the pink in his hair was still there but the tips of his hair showed signs of their normal color so there was some good news. But after the gorilla glue, the itching powder, the water dunking, the pink hair dye, the water and flower bomb combo and the blue face, Barry looked everywhere for potential traps and pranks. Naruto was no joke when it came to this punishment and there were two pranks left.

Barry was in his lab, working on some forensic evidence and looking over his shoulder or at the door constantly to check is something was going on. Barry heard some footsteps and got nervous when he saw Joe walk in with some Big Belly Burger. "Hey, Barr. Lunch."

"Oh, thanks Joe." Barry said as Joe walked over and put the bags down. Barry reached in and looked at the food cautiously, something Joe noticed.

"Relax, Barr. I went to Big Belly Burger and watched them make it fresh. No way Naruto messed with it." Joe said as Barry smiled.

"Awesome." Barry said as he took out of the fries and burger. He took a big bite out of the burger and then ate some fries and relished in the awesome taste. He swallowed and took another bite of his burger…when his mouth began to burn. "Haaa…. Ahhh!" Barry shouted as he quickly spit the burger out into the trash and took a long drink of soda to quell the fire in his mouth.

"Barry, what's wrong?" Joe asked as he saw Barry drink his whole soda and exhaled in relief but then his eyes went wide.

"AHHH!" Barry shouted as he ran over to the sink, turned it on and began chugging water like his life depended on it.

Joe grabbed Barry's burger and looked at the patty and saw it was stuffed with dark red chili peppers. He took a sniff and he pulled away on reflex because of the strong smell that easily cleared his sinuses. He then sniffed Barry's soda and smelled the tail-tell aroma of hot sauce.

Barry jugged at least a gallon of water before he stopped and the pain had lessened but his mouth was on fire and he felt like he had a flaming tire in his stomach. "Ugh…that hurt." Barry said.

"I don't understand. I watched them make it. This wasn't stuffed when I got it and there wasn't hot sauce in your soda." Joe said as Barry groaned as he held his stomach in pain.

"Tell that to my stomach." Barry said as heard his phone chime, indicating a text. He looked and saw it was Naruto. "He got me again."

"What?" Joe asked as Barry showed him.

 _I figured Joe arrived at CCPD and gave you your lunch by now. When he walked over to get the ketchup, the split second he put the bags on the counter to get your condiments, I swapped your lunch with something a little spicier. Ghost chili pepper burger with a Habanero hot sauce soda. That's 7 down, one more to go. Enjoy the burn. Good luck!_

"Dang, Naruto must have moved fast." Joe said.

"That's 7, one more to go." Barry said.

 **Prank #8**

Naruto was at STAR Labs in the cortex, working in the engineering lab on a little project of his. The ARC Reactor was moving on schedule and they had begun building parts of the reactor ring near the defunct Particle Accelerator. Thanks to Naruto's super speed, Dr. Wells genius and Cisco's ingenuity, they had begun building the reactor. It was small and tedious work to begin with as they were currently building the interface unit, power converter, control module, and the outer particle shielding and support out of the tungsten-cobalt resin. Once they built the outer supports and control module, they'd get to work on the reactor chamber and palladium ring and then it would take time to make sure the whole thing interfaced properly. Once that was done, they would put all of it together and see it if worked.

Luckily, with Naruto's super speed, what would normally take years could get accomplished in half the time. If they managed to build everything and got the calculations right, Naruto could build a lot of it in the span of a few days.

So, now he was working on a little side project with Cisco, which was making new and interesting _trick arrows_ for Oliver. Naruto went to Cisco about the idea and he was giddy to help so they got to work. Naruto was at a work bench, screwing the safety pin onto a new explosive arrow while Cisco worked on the wires for a new grapple and restricting arrow. Caitlin then walked in with a notepad.

"Hey, guys." Caitlin said.

"Hey, Caitlin." Naruto said as he finished the arrow and put in in foam padding in a metal case.

"What are you guys working on?" Caitlin asked.

"New trick arrows for Oliver. Naruto asked me to help and he knew I wouldn't say no." Cisco said as Naruto smiled.

"And aren't we having fun?" Naruto asked as Cisco smiled.

"Of course. I'm finished with the wire for the grapple arrow and I got an idea phosphorus arrow. How's that sound?" Cisco asked as Naruto nodded.

"Sounds, cool. Oh, speaking of finishing, I believe it's time to watch my final prank on Barry." Naruto said as he walked over to the main computers to bring up some video footage.

"What did you do?" Cisco asked as Naruto brought up video footage of Barry at his apartment eating some lunch.

"How did you get a camera in Barry's apartment?" Caitlin asked as Naruto smiled.

"I took an old one from downstairs and hid it in the corner of his living room. Now this one is going to be good but a little messy." Naruto said.

"Messy how?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, I had to be careful in thinking of my final prank as I affected Barry' physically as well as gave him a stomach burn that probably won't be going away anytime soon so I figured why not do something with a little tribute to my youth. When I was a kid, I used to pull pranks where I hid vials of foam in a bully's locker so when he opened it…" "Foam city." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"Now, while I could have easily done the same and put it in one of the ceiling tiles in Barry's apartment, I don't want to cost him his home. So, I improvised with some large soda bottles aimed at an angle." Naruto said as he showed them a drawing of his prank. It was a crude drawing of Barry in his apartment, the placement of the camera and 2 different soda bottles of foam.

"And the foam?" Caitlin asked.

"A mixture of hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodide, some Palmolive dish soap and little food coloring for fun. I took some equipment from the lab to set up the bottles and the reaction will start right…. now." Naruto said as he pressed a button on the computer. They waited for a few seconds when suddenly, a stream of red and yellow foam flew out of the bottles at the side of Barry's apartment and hit him. Barry was hit by surprised and fell to the ground as the foam expanded and covered him, the floor, and his table.

True to Naruto's word, there was only enough foam to cover Barry and his floor. It didn't hit his furniture, his kitchen, or his TV. Barry struggled to stand up as he wiped the foam from his face and body.

" **[Chuckling]** And that's eight." Naruto said as he happily shut the camera off. He then sent a text to Barry saying that he put some cleaning supplies in Barry's closet so the foam wouldn't stain his apartment.

"Please tell me you recorded that." Cisco asked, chuckling.

"Of course. Now should we post to YouTube?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, you've embarrassed Barry enough." Caitlin told him as he nodded.

"Fine, ruin the most fun I've had in years." Naruto said as he leaned back in his chair with a happy sigh. "Oh, the memories these days have brought."

"Remind me not to piss you off, Naruto. Dr. Wells was right. You take pranking to another level." Cisco said.

"I wasn't called the King of Pranks for a reason. But I took it easy on Barry. Trust me, I had some even more dastardly and embarrassing pranks in my arsenal but I didn't want to be a dick." Naruto said as Caitlin smiled.

"I'm proud you showed some restraint." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled. "Although, I think the foam was a little much."

"Oh, relax. The foam is harmless and he could actually clean with it now. It'll turn to water in a few minutes. It's not like it would harden…" Naruto said as he got an idea.

Cisco and Caitlin noticed Naruto stop talking and seemed to be thinking hard on something. "Naruto? Yoo hoo? You still there?" Cisco said as he waved his hand in front of Naruto's face.

"I think I've got an idea. Cisco, Caitlin, I'm gonna need your help." Naruto said.

"Help with what?" Caitlin asked.

"I think I just thought of a new arrow for Oliver." Naruto said as they went to the lab.

Line Break xxxxx

A week had passed since Oliver and his team had come to Starling City so Caitlin, Cisco, and Naruto decided to go see Felicity and the others in Starling City. Part to get the DNA sample that Felicity needed testing, and the other part to give Oliver new trick arrows and get a peek at his base of operations.

They walked into Queen Industries or as it was now Palmer Technologies to go see Felicity who was working in her office.

"I'm almost done here, Jerry. You should have gone home hours ago." Felicity said as she turned to see Caitlin, Cisco and Naruto holding a metal, guitar-length case and carrying a backpack.

"Who's Jerry?" Caitlin asked.

"This place is bigger than my apartment." Cisco said as he looked around her office.

"What are you guys doing here?" Felicity asked.

"You asked us to analyze the DNA off the arrow that killed Sara." Caitlin said.

"I was just gonna mail you the sample." Felicity said.

"We had some vacation days lined up." Caitlin said.

"We want to see the Arrow cave." Cisco said, eager and waiting to see it.

"We don't call it that." Felicity said as she walked to the door. "Ever."

"I want to see the toys. I need to see the toys." Cisco said, practically begging. "Do you guys have an arrow mobile?"

Felicity relented and escorted them to the cave which was actually more like a bunker underneath Oliver's former club, Verdant. They walked down the stairs and saw Oliver training with a young man, probably around Naruto's age if not younger.

"Oliver, we have some…guests." Felicity said as Oliver looked.

"Hey, Oliver. Sorry to drop in like this." Naruto said.

"Did you guys need something?" Oliver asked.

"We kind of came to get the DNA sample you needed us to identify." Naruto said.

"This place…is awesome." Cisco said as he began looking around.

"And part for that. Hey, I'm Naruto." Naruto said as he shook the guy's hand.

"Roy Harper." Roy said.

"Oh, so this is Arsenal. Nice to meet you, one partner to another. The name's Impulse." Naruto said smiling as Roy nodded.

"Cool." Roy replied.

"That's Caitlin Snow, our resident doctor and Mr. Curious over there is Cisco Ramon." Naruto said as Cisco walked over to the assortment or arrow heads on the table.

"Don't touch that." Oliver said as Cisco pulled away. He then touched some of Oliver's prepared arrow heads. "Or that. It's a jettisoning arrow. Uses compressed—" "CO2 to fire high-tensile strength polymer cables." Cisco said, finishing his sentence.

"Yup." Oliver said.

"Since when did we start selling admission to the Arrow cave?" Roy asked.

"It's…do you see what you've done?" Oliver asked Felicity who sat at her computer, innocently.

"And it's not really a cave, more of a bunker. Besides, the Arrow cave doesn't make any sense since arrows are kept in quivers. If Oliver was dressed as a bat or an animal that lived in a cave, then it would make more sense." Naruto said, putting his own two cents into the pile.

"Oh, not a bad point." Caitlin said.

"Awesome." Cisco said as he looked at Oliver's suit. "I have so many ideas for improvements."

Oliver raised an eyebrow as Cisco then walked over to Roy's suit. "And this? Oh man, this is the bomb. And I mean, red is so much cooler than green, am I right?" Cisco asked as Roy smiled.

"Hmm, I am really starting to like this guy." Roy said as Naruto chuckled.

"Hey, what's that for?" Caitlin said, pointing to the ladder in front of her desk.

" **[Sighs]** Distracting me from work." Felicity said.

"So, where's Mr. Diggle?" Caitlin asked.

"He's running down a lead." Roy said. Naruto looked at saw Cisco prick his finger on one of Oliver's arrows.

"Put the arrow down before you hurt yourself, Cisco." Naruto said as Cisco did. "Sorry for the abrupt visit but we didn't come empty handed. We brought some gifts."

Naruto held up the metal case and put it on an empty table. "What's in the case?" Roy asked.

"Well, after Oliver's visit to Central City I mentioned that STAR Labs would be more than happy to help in developing some new tech. So, we've got some new trick arrows for you to use." Naruto said as he opened the metal case to show several dozen arrows in foam padding, arrow tips, different arrow shafts made of different polymers and a smaller metal case.

"Whoa." Oliver said as he and Roy looked over the case's content.

"How did you do all this?" Roy asked.

"Well, I couldn't have done it without my partner in crime, Mr. Cisco Ramon. Thank you, Cisco." Naruto said as Cisco bowed.

"You're welcome." Cisco said.

"So, we've got a whole bunch of new arrows for you guys to use. If you like them, we can make more no problem." Naruto said as he pulled out some basic looking arrows. "New arrows made of an aluminum-carbon composite metal and the shaft is a patented polymer. Twice as deadly and a third the weight."

Naruto handed the arrow to Oliver who picked it up and could feel it was lighter. "Not bad." Oliver said.

"And we've got different arrow head attachments you can you use depending on the situation." Naruto said as he picked up a steel colored arrow tip and casing. "This one is a new explosive arrow. Concentrated thermite with a dash of nitro. This will blast apart a brick wall and put a hole in solid steel."

"Sweet." Roy said as he took the arrow.

"Just be careful you're at a far enough distance before you use it. And we've got a new flashbang, jettisoning and grapple arrows with a new strength polymer cable. It can pull a lot more weight and the grapple system makes getting up high places a lot easier." Naruto said as Oliver looked at them.

Naruto then took out a yellow colored arrow tip and casing. "This one is for when technology is involved. An electronic payload arrow. When shot near a computer or electrical system, can be used to allow Felicity easier access. And these payloads can be modified to deliver viruses into a computer system should you need to do so from afar." Naruto said as he handed it to Felicity.

"Oooohhh…" Felicity said as she looked at it. Naruto then took out an orange colored arrow point and casing.

"This one is a white phosphorus arrow. When the situation calls for something to be melted or a huge plume of smoke to be made, this is your best shot. But we've added a little component of red phosphorus which acts as a flame retardant so it doesn't explode out of control." Naruto said as he put the arrow down. "But I think, this is one you'll like the most."

Naruto then took out the small metal case and opened it to reveal a blue colored arrow tip and metal casing. "This one is something that's best described by seeing it in action." Naruto said as he attached the arrow tip and casing to a spare arrow and handed it to Oliver.

"Shoot it at that training dummy over there." Naruto said as he pointed to the training dummy at the other side of the room. Oliver looked at the arrow and then at Naruto. "Trust me, it's best to see it in action."

Oliver grabbed his bow and nocked the arrow. He aimed at the training dummy and released. Once the arrow made impact, the casing on the arrow broke out and a dark blue-colored foam began to immediately expand in a 2-foot radius around the dummy before eventually hardening.

"Whoa…" Roy said as he, Felicity and Oliver were shocked at what just happened.

"What is that?" Felicity asked as she and Roy walked over to the foamed target and Oliver looked at Naruto who was smiling proudly.

"High-density polyurethane foam trick arrow or in layman's terms, the liquid cement arrow." Naruto said as Roy tapped the foam and to Naruto's word, it had hardened and felt like concrete.

"How did you do this?" Felicity asked.

"It was a group effort. Cisco and Caitlin helped me with making the arrow and I got the idea after a… _lesson_ I gave to Barry. The casing in the arrow has the mixture in liquid form. It will only turn into foam when it comes into contact with an oxidant. Once the arrow is fired and contacts an object, the impact ruptures the casing and the foam oxidizes and expands out within a 2-foot radius from the point of impact. And as you saw, it solidifies within a few seconds. And it has the same density as common concrete." Naruto said as he walked up to the foam and tapped it with the back of his knuckles, making a knocking sound on the cement.

"This is awesome." Roy said as he was amazed at what he saw. Naruto then walked over and grabbed the metal case holding the liquid cement arrows and handed them over to Oliver.

"The use is up to you. Need to create a roadblock for a car, close a doorway or trap someone, it'll do the job. And unless the person has super strength, they're not getting out." Naruto said as he took out a small pill vial of blue liquid from the container. "And when you need to move the person, just break the vial over the foam."

Naruto tossed the vial at the foam and it broke against it. The vial broke and sprinkled the foam with a blue liquid and began to sizzle the foam. Within a few seconds, the foam had turned into a liquid and splashed on the ground. "The vial solution turns the foam into a liquid." Naruto said as he super sped around the training dummy and cleaned up the mess in 5 seconds. "Perfect capture and no danger."

"Nicely done, Naruto." Oliver said as Naruto smiled.

"Thank you. Don't worry, the materials are untraceable and I've got some more ideas and proto-types I think you'll like." Naruto said as Oliver nodded.

Oliver then got a ring on his phone and saw it was Dig. "Dig." Oliver answered.

" _We have a little situation here. Our man's at ARGUS with some backup and Lyla's here. And Oliver, this guy. He's the real deal."_ Dig said as Oliver nodded and hung up.

"Our target is storming ARGUS and Lyla is there." Oliver said as Roy nodded. The two grabbed their bows and their suits.

"Uh huh. Badass. So cool." Cisco said.

"It'll be over by the time they get there." Caitlin said.

"Oliver, let met help. I can get you there in seconds." Naruto said Oliver put on his hoodie and looked at Naruto.

"All right, suit up." Oliver said as Naruto unzipped his backpack. He moved at super speed and in a second was ready. "Our target is attacking ARGUS with backup, probably mercenaries. Roy and I will handle him, you secure the perimeter."

"Got it." Naruto said as Oliver and Roy finished suiting up. "Keeps your heads steady and close your eyes."

Naruto grabbed Oliver and Roy by the shoulder and left the bunker in a flash while Caitlin texted Barry for backup. Naruto raced through the city holding Oliver and Roy and appeared at the ARGUS Facility. They walked in to see the dead guard and heard gunshots inside.

" **Head east and secure all the mercenaries. Arsenal and I will help Dig**." Arrow said as Impulse nodded and walked inside the building while Arrow and Arsenal went their separate way.

Impulse walked in to see the ARGUS agents in a shootout with heavily armed mercenaries and the ARGUS agents were losing. Impulse saw one mercenary take out a rocket launcher so Impulse ran forward and moved the agents out of the way. The rocket hit where the agents were as the mercenaries were confused where the agents went. Impulse gathered all the agents and put them in a room before running towards the mercenaries. He shoulder checked one mercenary and sent him flying into a wall, knocking him out. He turned and kicked another mercenary and sent him skidding across the ground.

The mercenaries fired in his general direction as Impulse ducked and dodged, and in a blur of orange and white lightning, the mercenaries were dis-armed, knocked out and tied up together in a circle. Impulse smiled as he super sped through the facility to make sure he got all the mercenaries and he did. He arrived in the large open area where Arsenal and Arrow fought the boomerang man when he saw two boomerangs heading towards Oliver when Barry ran by and grabbed them. He slid to a stop in a corner as Arrow, Arsenal, Dig, Lyla, and the Boomerang man saw a man save the Arrow in a flash. The boomerang man put in ear pieces and threw down a large concussion, flash, and smoke bomb that concussed and blinded everyone.

The impact lasted nearly a minute before the effects began to dissipate and the boomerang man was long gone. Arrow looked at Flash and Impusle who both smiled and left before Lyla and the ARGUS agents could question them.

Line Break xxxxx

While Oliver talked to Lyla to get some information on the boomerang man who attacked them, Naruto and Barry returned to the bunker. Naruto and Barry slid to a stop as the rush of air caused some papers to fly around.

"Geez!" Felicity said as she picked up the papers.

"Sorry." Naruto said as he helped and then quickly changed back into his regular clothes.

"So, how'd it go?" Caitlin asked.

"Easy. Took care of the mercenaries but the boomerang guy is gone. Why did you call Barry?" Naruto asked.

"I thought you could use some help." Caitlin said.

"Well, thanks for showing up when you did." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

"No problem." Barry said as he saw the salmon ladder. "Cool."

Barry then began doing the exercise at super speed as Caitlin and Felicity watched him go up and down the ladder in a blur of his yellow lightning.

"How often does Oliver do this?" Caitlin asked.

"At least every Wednesday. There's a lot sweating." Felicity said as Barry jumped down, finished with the exercise.

"I don't see what's so hard about that." Barry said as he handed the bar to Naruto.

"I think you're meant to do it without powers." Naruto said as he hooked the bar onto the first row to give it a try.

"I'm not sure that Caitlin should have called you. Oliver's not that great playing with others." Felicity said.

"Oh, come. Oliver and Naruto kicked ass last week." Cisco said as Naruto did a pull up and then managed to pull and hook himself up to the second notch. "They were like, in a league of their own."

"Geez, this is a lot harder than it looks." Naruto said as he did another pull up.

"Yeah, that was kind of a onetime thing. Not that Oliver doesn't appreciate all the support but when it comes to here, it's different." Felicity said.

"The guy was tossing around exploding boomerangs, they needed some backup. And I need some dinner. That salmon ladder made me hungry for sushi." Barry said as he super sped away, causing more of Felicity's papers to fly everywhere.

"And I need to get some paper weights down here." Felicity said as she slammed the papers down.

"Should have warned you about that." Caitlin joked as Naruto did another pull up and tried to hook onto the third row but missed and landed on his back.

"Shit!" Naruto said as Cisco, Caitlin and Felicity ran to him.

"Naruto, you ok?" Caitlin asked as Naruto groaned in pain.

"Ugh, I just got the wind knocked out of me." Naruto said as he chuckled. Cisco smiled and helped him to his feet as Oliver, Roy, Diggle, and Lyla walked in. Naruto looked at Oliver who raised an eyebrow as to why he wasn't in uniform but Naruto shook his head no to not bring it up and Oliver nodded back.

"Are you ok?" Felicity asked Lyla.

"Can't work for ARGUS without making a few enemies. I'm sorry to involve all of you in this." Lyla said as Dig took a plastic bag out of his pocket containing the shards of the boomerangs. "Is that ARGUS property?"

"It's evidence." Dig said as Lyla let it go when whoosh of air blew past them and Barry arrived sitting in Felicity's chair with some sushi. Lyla was speechless as to what she was seeing as Naruto looked at Barry like he was crazy.

"Dude! Secret identity!" Naruto told him.

"They're married." Barry replied.

"We're not married." Dig and Lyla said.

"Or together, whatever. He told her about me." Barry said as Dig shook his head no. "You didn't?"

"I keep secrets for a living man." Dig said as Naruto and Oliver shook their heads.

"Ah, my bad." Barry said.

"Your…. your…" Lyla tried to find the words.

"The Flash. Sushi?" Barry asked, offering but she shook her head no.

"We need a location on the man who's after Lyla. His name is Digger Harkness." Oliver said.

"Well, first step is to work the evidence." Barry said.

"Barry, can I speak to you for a moment, please?" Oliver asked as they walked to the other side of the room. "I appreciate your help back at ARGUS but we have this handled."

"You don't want to team up again?" Barry asked.

"Well, last time wasn't a team up so much as Naruto and I fighting you to make sure you didn't hurt people. And besides, things work differently here. Starling city is meaner." Oliver said.

"I'm sorry, for what happened before, but I seem to remember helping you pretty good last year and that was without powers. I've been practicing everything you've taught me. I'm casing new environments and I'm not running in blind." Barry said as Oliver sighed.

"We do this my way." Oliver said.

"Yes, awesome! Ok, so what's our first move?" Barry asked.

"We need to reassemble the evidence. It will take some time but it will-" Oliver was cut off as Barry used his super speed and put the shards back together into 5 boomerangs. "be worth it."

"Rad. This is a bit more teched out than the one you brought to Central City. 3-D printed polymer with a circuitry weave." Cisco said.

"Some of Harkness's boomerangs exploded." Roy said.

"Oh, yeah. There are grooves in here that can definitely pack a C-4 charge." Cisco said.

"Maybe if we figure out where Harkness got the supplies, we can track him down that way." Naruto said as he noticed Lyla looking at him.

"There's weren't made by Kaboom Boomerang." Cisco said, looking at the design.

"Kaboom Boomerang?" Roy asked.

"Yeah." Cisco said.

"It's not your best." Barry joked.

"Really? It makes perfect sense—" "Cisco." Oliver said, shutting him up.

"If Harkness didn't make them, then we need to figure out who did." Oliver said.

"And who he made the buy off of." Dig added.

"Markos. You see this collapsible node design, a dead giveaway. That's his signature." Cisco said.

"We need a location on—" "Claus Markos." Cisco said as Oliver nodded while Felicity got to work.

"No known home address or place of employment for Mr. Markos. But he was arrested last year by an Officer Quentin Lance." Felicity said as Oliver nodded. Barry and Oliver left to speak to Lance while everyone else stayed behind.

Naruto walked over to the case holding his new trick arrows and began assembling them for Oliver to use when Lyla walked over. "I don't think I know you. Lyla Michaels." Lyla said as she held her hand out. Naruto looked at her for a second before shaking her hand.

"Naruto Namikaze." Naruto said as Lyla nodded.

"Oh, I thought you looked familiar. You look like your father." Lyla said as Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You knew my father?" Naruto asked as Lyla nodded.

"Not personally, only by reputation. He was a brilliant scientist as was your mother. Their paper on sub-space field mechanics was required reading at ARGUS. And I also know they passed, I'm sorry." Lyla said as Naruto nodded back with a smile.

"Thank you." Naruto replied.

"So, I imagine you follow in their footsteps if you're here with STAR Labs?" Lyla asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. I just finished getting my degree and I'm working with Dr. Wells on something but after Oliver helped saved Barry, I figured it'd be nice to repay him with some new tech." Naruto said as Lyla saw Roy putting together the new arrows Naruto made.

"I see that. Perhaps you can make something so Johnny stays safe out there?" Lyla asked as Naruto was confused.

"Johnny?" Naruto asked as he looked at Diggle who had the look of _drop it_. Naruto chuckled as he nodded. "Sure thing. I think I have a few ideas he might like."

"Thank you. And if you ever want to make a difference, ARGUS is always looking for good scientists and engineers." Lyla said as Caitlin, Cisco, Felicity, Roy, and Dig subtly glanced at Naruto to see his reaction.

"Uh, thanks for the job offer but I'm gonna have to pass." Naruto replied.

"Any reason?" Lyla asked, curious.

"Well, my parents worked with Dr. Wells because he's family and I want to keep that going. And no offense, but seeing as what happened I'd rather have a job that didn't risk me getting killed by a psychotic boomerang man." Naruto said as Lyla was about to respond but thought about what he said.

"Fair enough." Lyla said as she walked over to Dig.

Naruto began putting together the new arrows together for Oliver and Roy to use and helped Cisco analyze the material in the boomerang to figure out any kind of information that could possibly help Oliver. 40 minutes later, they got a call from Barry on a possible lead on Markos. Oliver wanted Naruto, Roy, and Diggle to meet him and Barry at the location.

Naruto got suited up and was with Arrow, Arsenal, and the Flash at a Bratva hideout. "I can't believe you're a member of the Russian mob." Flash said.

" **Former member, probably. We had a falling out last year. This is where they run their Cyber Crime operation."** Arrow said.

"Hey, nice outfit by the way." Flash said, joking while Naruto and the others just kept going on.

"This place is like a fortress." Arsenal said.

"Kalashnikovs everywhere." Diggle said.

" **Arsenal take the southeast corner. Flash, Impulse scan the perimeter**." Arrow said as Arsenal got to it and Flash and Impulse super sped away. **"Dig. Are you going to be ok?"**

"You think I'll lose it because Harkness is after Lyla? I'm good." Dig said as he went to the West corner.

Arrow went into the North corner as the Flash zipped by him. Impulse ran by and stopped by the Arrow as they saw the Flash standing around a bunch of unconscious, tied up Bratva members with a cocky smile.

"I had eight seconds to kill." Flash said with a smile, thinking he did a good job. "Was I wrong?"

Arrow just kept walking while Impulse shook his head and followed the Arrow. "What?" Flash asked.

The Arrow kicked open the door as Markos ran for the door when Impulse appeared in front of him. "You're not going anywhere." Impulse said as he grabbed him and shoved him against the table.

Arrow walked up and held up the broken boomerang. **"You made this for Digger Harkness. I want to know where he is!"** Arrow said as Markos just smirked.

"Go to hell!" Markos said as Arrow fired an arrow and hit him in the shoulder. "ARGH!"

The Flash was shocked to see the Arrow shoot Markos with no provocation. " **The only thing that hurts worse than an arrow going in is an arrow coming out!"** Arrow shouted as he grabbed the Arrow and Markos shouted in pain.

"Whoa, hey. What are you doing?!" Flash asked.

" **Getting information! Where is he?!"** Arrow shouted.

"I don't know!" Markos shouted back.

"He said he doesn't know!" Flash told him.

"Flash, back off!" Impulse said, holding him back.

" **He's lying! If you want to be able to raise your arm again, tell me WHERE HE IS!"** Arrow shouted as Markos held up a phone.

"Here, Harkness gave it to me, it's encrypted. I had an order ready for him. I called he came. I don't know where he is, I swear!" Markos said as Arrow backed off.

Flash bandaged up Markos and dropped him off at the CCPD. Arrow and Impulse looked around and took anything that could be helpful. "Let me see the phone." Naruto said as Oliver handed it to him. "Looks like a rudimentary null-key encryption. Shouldn't take too long to break."

"Where did you learn that?" Oliver asked.

"The internet is a wonderful thing. But this kind of encryption is less about keeping something secret and more about setting a trap. Something else is going on." Naruto said as he handed the phone back to Oliver and walked over to Markos computer and pulled out the hard drive. "Maybe his hard drive will offer up some information."

"You ok?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, just trying to stay focused, like you said." Naruto said as Oliver nodded. "Do you always have to do that? Interrogate?"

"Sometimes. It's…not pleasant work for people who aren't used to it." Oliver said.

"That's an understatement." Naruto said as Oliver nodded.

"Naruto, I get that this might be difficult to watch and understand but there will come a time in Central City that just asking for information isn't enough. There are criminals out there who only deal in extremes, and sometimes it might be necessary to use extreme methods to fight back." Oliver said as Naruto nodded, understanding the lesson.

"I get it, believe me I do. The world is a dangerous place. I just don't think I could do something like that." Naruto said.

"And I hope that you never have to. But the criminals in this city don't play with kid gloves. You saw Markos, he wouldn't have given up anything." Oliver said as Naruto nodded.

"I get it. Let's go." Naruto said as Barry arrived.

"Felicity can crack the encryption. Let's go." Oliver said as Barry looked upset and angry. "What?"

"You tortured that guy." Barry said.

"I interrogated him." Oliver replied as Barry scoffed.

"When my friend said that your tactics made you a criminal, I defended you. I thought you were supposed to be a hero. I thought that we were supposed to be better than them." Barry said.

"Barry. You live in Central City. Where it's sunny all the time and your enemies get cute nicknames. You're not in Central City!" Oliver said.

"Yeah." Barry replied.

"I live in a city where my best friend was murdered. Where a woman I loved was shot full of arrows and sent tumbling off a rooftop. Where my mother was murdered right in front of me. So, before you—" "My mother was murdered in front of me too. But I don't use my personal tragedies as an excuse to just torture whoever pisses me off." Barry said, interrupting him.

"Well, I'm sorry Barry. I'm not emotionally stable as you are. But that wasn't the point. The point is that you need to take this seriously and stop treating fighting crime like a comic book!" Oliver said as he walked past Barry.

"What are you talking about?!" Barry asked.

"Barry, from what I've seen so far you have a lot of potential but you are still new at this. And there will come a time when your speed and cheerful attitude won't be enough to save people and when that happens, people die. Saving your city and becoming the Flash is a serious task and quite frankly your set up and naming your enemies will silly code names and treating everything with a jovial attitude blinds you to the seriousness of what we do." Oliver said as Barry looked at Oliver like he was insane.

"Naruto, come on. Back me up." Barry said as Naruto sighed.

"Barry…I agree with Oliver." Naruto said as Barry looked at him like he was insane.

"Are you kidding me?" Barry asked.

"Hey, I'm not saying I'm ok with what I saw but this is Oliver's city and if he knows what he's doing, we should follow his lead." Naruto replied.

"Naruto, he tortured that guy." Barry said.

"Interrogated. I've seen cops in real life and movies do a lot worse. And he's got a point. The fact that we deal with meta-humans makes the threats we face almost not normal. But how many close calls have there been? How many dangerous bad guys have nearly killed us or innocent people?" Naruto said.

"And we dealt with it." Barry said.

"By the skin of our teeth. But what happens the day we face someone we can't predict or is difficult? We're still new a this and right now we need to absorb everything we can so we know what to do should that happen." Naruto said as he walked over to Oliver.

"I can't believe this." Barry said, shocked by what Naruto was saying.

"If you don't think you're up to it, you know your way back to Central City." Oliver said as he left and Naruto followed after him.

Line Break xxxxx

They arrived back at the base and Naruto quickly changed back to normal clothes so he kept his identity a secret. Felicity worked on cracking the encryption on Harkness's phone and like Naruto said it wasn't that complicated. She also analyzed the phone and she might be able to track down Harkness's old phone and triangulate his current position. Naruto was sitting next to her, absorbing how she worked and what he could use in the future. Barry was still brooding over his ideological differences between Oliver but no one mentioned it because they were trying to stay focused on the task at hand and they didn't want another argument to break out.

Oliver was fitting his quiver with some of the new arrows that Naruto made as Lyla walked over. "Everything ok between you and Speedy?" Lyla asked as Oliver was confused.

"What? Roy? Yeah, we're fine." Oliver replied.

"I meant him." Lyla said, looking at Barry who was brooding by the stairs.

"Oh. We have a difference of opinion on how the world works." Oliver said as Lyla nodded and looked at Dig.

"Yup, I know what that's like." Lyla replied.

"Well, sometimes they don't see it." Oliver said.

"There are people in the world who deal only in extremes." Lyla said.

"And it'd be naïve to think that anything less than extreme measures will stop them." Oliver said as Lyla nodded.

"Sometimes bravery isn't enough. Sometimes the world requires us to be bold." Lyla said.

"Whatever the personal cost." Oliver said.

"I've got him. He's at a warehouse at the intersection of Infantino and Adams." Felicity said as she pulled up satellite images of the warehouse.

"Is that?" Lyla asked.

"Argus Spy Satellite? Yeah. Thermographic imaging shows ten bodies inside." Felicity said.

"Harkness knows we're coming." Dig said.

"I can track his cellphone's position with this." Cisco said, holding up a tablet.

"Cisco, you're with Diggle and Roy." Oliver said as Barry walked over.

"I'll race you there." Barry said as he left while Oliver looked at Naruto.

"Naruto, are you ok here?" Oliver asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, there's still something I want to check out. Go." Naruto said as they left. "Felicity, can you do another scan of the phone's hardware after you shut it down?"

"Sure, give me one second." Felicity said as she copied the phone's data onto her computer and turned off the phone. She began going through the phone's code looking for any anomalies. "What am I looking for again?"

"I don't know. Something doesn't seem right. It all seems too…easy." Naruto said.

"What do you mean?" Lyla asked.

"Well, we tracked down Harkness and stopped him from killing you. But someone with his kind of training and grudge isn't one to give up on a fight. And with Oliver and Barry…he knows a straight up attack is stupid. He'd want to be smart." Naruto said.

"Maybe you're overthinking this." Caitlin said.

"No, Dr. Wells always told me to trust my gut when something seems off and right now my gut is telling me there is something else going on." Naruto said as Felicity saw one weird code in the phone.

"I think I found something." Felicity said.

"What is it?" Lyla asked.

"It looks like a remote-operated back trace system. Someone can turn the cellphone on and off, make calls and back trace the signal." Felicity said as the phone began ringing, getting a call from a blocked number. "Didn't I shut that off."

"It's Harkness. This is a trap. We need to move!" Naruto said as they all got up to leave when Naruto's super speed senses saw a boomerang heading straight for Lyla so he grabbed her and dove to the side, just in time to avoid Lyla getting a boomerang in the head.

Naruto and Lyla hit the ground as Felicity and Caitlin took cover behind Oliver's dummy case while Naruto and Lyla took cover behind Felicity's workstation.

"Hello, Lyla. It's been a long time." Harkness said as he threw out two boomerangs that smashed through some of the lights and the other hit one of Felicity's computer screens. Harkness threw another boomerang that smashed into Oliver's outfit case and knocked it over as Naruto and Lyla covered themselves from the shattered glass.

"Gun?!" Lyla shouted.

"Cabinet, third drawer!" Felicity shouted as Lyla grabbed a pistol and loaded it. Harkness took cover behind a table as Lyla fired her pistol.

Naruto peaked out from behind the workstation and saw Harkness throw another boomerang as Naruto ducked.

"You know what I like about boomerangs, Lyla?! They're proof that things can come back to haunt you!" Harkness shouted as he stood up from his cover and threw two boomerangs at Lyla which she managed to stay low and avoid as she ducked next to a cabinet for cover. Harkness pulled out a special boomerang that had a grenade pin and pulled it off. "You had a bomb in the back of my neck. Now, I've got something special for yours!"

"Lyla, get down!" Felicity shouted as Naruto watched Harkness throw a boomerang towards Lyla in slow motion. Naruto ran from behind the computers and tackled Lyla out of the way as the boomerang got close to her and exploded, sending Naruto and Lyla through Roy's display case and onto the ground hard.

"NO!" Felicity shouted as she threw an explosive arrow head at Harkness. Harkness ran just in time to avoid any damage from the explosion, and left the bunker while Felicity and Caitlin ran over to check on Lyla and Naruto.

Felicity turned Lyla over and saw some shrapnel wounds on her chest and side and they were bleeding pretty badly. Naruto groaned in pain as he tried to catch his breath. Caitlin helped him onto his back as Naruto looked down and saw a shard of metal sticking out of his left thigh.

"ARGH!" Naruto shouted as he pulled it out. "FUCK! Geez, that hurt!"

Caitlin got some bandages as Naruto looked at Lyla. "Caitlin, I'm fine. Look after Lyla." Naruto said as he took the bandages and wrapped them around his wound.

"Naruto, you need help." Caitlin said.

"I'm fine. Lyla needs your help more than I do." Naruto said as she nodded.

"Lidocaine, I need lidocaine!" Caitlin said as she ran over to the medical cabinet.

"I only have epinephrine!" Felicity said.

"That's fine." Caitlin said as she got the needle of epinephrine. "Keep pressure on the wounds and keep her awake."

Caitlin injected the epinephrine while Felicity did her best to stop the bleeding and keep Lyla awake. They moved Lyla onto a table and Caitlin did her best to keep her stable while Naruto sat in a chair and bandaged his wound.

"Lyla!" They heard Dig shout as he, Oliver, Roy, Barry, and Cisco came back. "Lyla. She's not moving."

"I've got her stabilized but she has several shrapnel wounds. I can't operate on her here." Caitlin said as Dig looked at Barry.

"Barry." Dig said as Barry looked at Oliver.

"Starling General's on 8th and Wilcox." Oliver said as Barry grabbed Lyla and super sped to the hospital.

Dig and Caitlin drove to the hospital to check on Lyla while Roy, Felicity and Cisco waited in the club. Oliver wanted to be alone for a while. Barry was with Oliver as was Naruto who wasn't moving from the chair he was sitting in until he healed.

"This is all my fault." Oliver said.

"It's really not." Barry told him.

"I tortured Markos to give up that phone. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me." Oliver said.

"That's bullshit." Naruto said as Oliver looked at him. "Harkness just outplayed you, Oliver. You'll get him."

"How can you be so sure?" Oliver asked as Naruto adjusted himself on the chair, groaning in discomfort. "To do what I do it takes…conviction. And every time I do that I'm trading away small pieces of myself. So, you asked me what's wrong, Barry. This is it. The part that I'm trading away…is Oliver Queen. And lately I've been feeling that there's nothing left except the Arrow."

"I think like Naruto said, bullshit. Look, you've convinced yourself that everything you've been through took away your humanity. But I think it's because of your humanity that you made it through. You wouldn't have survived, much less come out the other end a hero, somebody who wants to do good, if you didn't have a light inside of you." Barry said.

"Oliver, Barry's right. You wouldn't be here today, let alone the past two years keeping this city safe if Oliver Queen is completely gone. The people you saved, the lives you've changed…that's your humanity. And you're helping to pass that on to Felicity, Roy, Dig…and Barry and I. Oliver Queen is a huge part of this as much as the Arrow is. And you'll have setbacks but I think you told me that you keep getting up no matter how hard you get hit." Naruto said as Oliver cracked a small smile. "Besides, if you don't believe that then what I found will have been for nothing."

"What?" Barry asked.

"I found out how Harkness found his way to the bunker. I can also do the same and track him." Naruto said as he rolled his chair over to Felicity's computer and began doing the search as Barry and Oliver walked over to him and saw Naruto get to work. "He's heading to the train station."

"He's not getting away." Oliver said.

"Let's go." Naruto said as he tried to stand up but groaned in pain. "Argh!"

"Naruto, you're still recovering from your wound. Take it easy, Oliver and I got this." Barry said as he grabbed Oliver and they left for the train station. Felicity, Cisco, Roy, and Caitlin came back down and Naruto filled them in on what happened. Felicity got to work and pulled up security camera footage from the train station and they saw the Arrow and Flash facing off against Harkness.

They say Harkness pull out a small detonator and arm it. The Flash then left and called into the bunker. _"Guys, Harkness has five bombs planted throughout the city! I need to know where!"_ Flash told them.

"To cover the whole city, Harkness would have to use remote controlled IEDS." Felicity said.

"If we can key into that frequency we can track them." Cisco said as they got to work. Naruto watched Oliver fight Harkness fight on the security camera footage with Oliver wining and trapping Harkness with one of Naruto's liquid cement arrows.

" _I need the locations! I need five locations!"_ Flash shouted.

"The five receivers. Got it. The closest one is behind a restaurant at Faith and Flower." Cisco said as Barry arrived at the location and found the bomb in a garbage can.

" _Ok, guys I found it. I'm gonna run it out of the city."_ Flash said.

"Barry, wait!" Felicity said.

" _That's not an option."_ Flash replied.

"We think the bombs are linked. Pressed the emblem on your suit, I installed a mini-cam last week. You see the secondary trigger? It's not just a receiver." Cisco said.

" _It's a transmitter."_ Flash said.

"Barry, if you try to diffuse the bomb the second trigger is going to transmit a signal and the other bombs will explode." Felicity said.

"You're gonna have to disarm all the bombs at the same time." Cisco said.

"You're thinking of Multiplex. Even if Naruto could help we can't be in five places at once." Flash said as he then got an idea. "But I don't have to be."

The Flash then whisked into the bunker and grabbed Roy, Felicity, Cisco, and Caitlin one by one and dropped them off at one of the bomb locations, leaving Naruto by the computers. "Come on, guys. Less than 20 seconds!"

" _Ok, everyone needs to cut the wires exactly on three! One…two…three!"_ Cisco shouted as they did and there were no explosions. _"Oh, screw you Captain Boomerang."_

"Nicely done, everyone! Whoa!" Naruto shouted.

Felicity, Roy, Cisco, and Caitlin came back to the Bunker while Oliver and Barry dropped off Harkness to his new prison. Until they got back, Felicity gave Caitlin the arrow that they needed DNA evidence off of.

"Some of the STR markers on the DNA sample have degraded but I've got a computer back at the lab that should fill in the gaps." Caitlin said as she put the arrow in a special container.

"Thank you, Caitlin." Felicity said.

"I'll let you know as soon as I have the results. I'll call this time." Caitlin said as Felicity chuckled.

"It's cool. You guys are fun." Roy said.

"So are you guys. Well, you could be if you realized you were working under a night club." Cisco said.

"A time and place for everything, Cisco. Here, to work." Naruto said as Cisco nodded.

"How you are doing, Naruto?" Felicity said as Naruto undid the bandage and the wound had healed.

"I'm fine, Felicity. One of the perks of super healing." Naruto said as he stood up and felt fine.

"You were very brave tonight, Naruto." Caitlin said.

"How? I was stuck in a chair while Barry and Oliver took down Captain Boomerang." Naruto said as Cisco smiled.

"So, glad that name is catching on." Cisco said.

"True but Lyla would be dead if it wasn't for you. You moved her out of the way before she got mortally wounded. I'm proud of you." Caitlin said as Naruto smiled. "But don't make a habit out of it."

"I don't think I can promise that. Occupational hazard and all." Naruto joked as Oliver and Barry walked back in.

"Did you guys take care of business?" Cisco asked.

"Digger Harkness is now cell mates with one Slade Wilson." Oliver said.

"We've got a pipeline. He's got a gorgeous tropical island." Barry said.

"With the land mines." Felicity said as everyone was confused. "It's a long story."

"What are these?" Barry asked, looking at two new mannequins.

"Oliver had me put those in while you were at the hospital." Felicity said.

"This is for us?" Barry asked as Naruto smiled, looking at the mannequin.

"For the next time you're in town." Oliver said.

"There's gonna be a next time?" Barry asked.

"I'm still calling the shots." Oliver said as Barry chuckled.

"We'll talk about that." Barry replied.

"Yes, we will. And then I'll call the shots." Oliver replied with a smile.

"Well, we've got an extra gift for you, Oliver. Early Christmas present. Turns out STAR Labs industrial fabricator was based out of Starling City." Cisco said as he opened the box showing Oliver's new jacket.

"Whoa." Oliver said.

"Polymer Kevlar weave. 25% lighter and can carry 15% more gear. Naruto and I've got some designs we're working up that should be cool." Cisco said as Naruto chuckled.

"It's uh…subtle." Oliver said.

"I uh…wanted to replace the hood. But Felicity said it had sentimental value." Cisco said as Oliver shook his hand.

"Thank you." Oliver replied.

"So, you guys heading back?" Roy asked.

"It's possible that Dr. Wells never signed off on our little vacation." Caitlin said.

"Do you guys still take the train?" Roy asked.

"Sure, when we need a nap." Barry said as Naruto chuckled.

"And I think a nap will be warranted." Naruto said.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and the team were back in Central City after their team up with Oliver and Team Arrow. Things in Central City had quieted down as Christmas was coming up and it seemed that even the criminals were taking the holidays off. Naruto loved the holidays normally ever since he could remember but ever since his parents died the holidays had lost their luster. His parents use to go all out with a party and an amazing dinner with all their friends but after his parents' accident, he just spent the holidays alone. With Linda gone to see her parents at Coast City, Naruto kept to himself, which is how he liked it this time of year.

Christmas was later this week and between working on the ARC Reactor, helping at the shelter and training, Naruto kept to himself. Barry called the team to STAR Labs because he had Christmas presents to hand out.

"Merry Christmas, everyone. It's just a small token of my gratitude for everything you guys have done for me this year." Barry said as he handed everyone a present.

"Aw…" Caitlin said as they all smiled.

"I think I speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say that you've been a gift for us, Barry." Dr. Wells said as Barry then pulled out a thermos.

"What's that?" Caitlin asked.

"This is compliments of Iris—Grandma Esther's famous Eggnog." Barry said as Cisco smiled.

"That's what I'm talking about." Cisco said as he walked over to grab glasses while cleared his throat.

"Maybe later for me. I've got some…stuff to take care of. I'll see you guys later." Naruto said as he walked to the door.

"Naruto." Caitlin said as Naruto then super sped away.

"Did I say something wrong?" Barry asked.

"No, Mr. Allen. This is Naruto's favorite time of year. He and his parents loved celebrating the holidays but since their death, I'm sure this time just reminds him that they're no longer with us." Dr. Wells said as everyone nodded.

"Yeah, Naruto has been acting a lot gloomier lately." Cisco said.

"I'm gonna get him a gift. Maybe that'll cheer him up. Thank you very much." Caitlin said as she left to go shopping.

Naruto left STAR Labs and made a stop to his parents' graves. Naruto walked up to their gravestones and laid down some flowers as he sat down. "Merry Christmas, mom. Dad. It's the second Christmas with the both of you no longer here and it doesn't get any easier." Naruto said as he sighed.

"I know that this is supposed to be a magical time of year and you've always told me to be grateful of what we have but…god this is so hard without you two here." Naruto said as tears began to fall down his cheek. "I've pulled my life back together like you two would have wanted but I miss you two so much. Even with all my powers, I can't bring you two back."

Naruto wiped the tears from his face as he heard someone coming up behind him and saw Kurama walk up to him. Kurama sat down next to Naruto as Naruto pet his head. "Do you miss them too, boy?" Naruto asked as Kurama laid down on the ground and whined. "Me too. So much."

"You're torturing yourself, Naruto." Naruto heard as he saw Shizune and Tsunade walk up to him.

"How did you know I was here?" Naruto asked.

"It's where you went to a lot last year." Tsunade said as they knelt down to him. "Naruto, you keep torturing yourself like this."

"Maybe I do deserve to be tortured." Naruto said.

"That's crazy, Naruto. What happened to your parents was an accident." Shizune said.

"An accident that never should have happened. I should have stayed at my dorm instead of convincing my parents to dinner. If I hadn't been so stupid…they'd still be alive." Naruto said as he grabbed his hair in frustration, anger, and sadness.

"Naruto…the accident wasn't your fault. The drunk driver who hit them is in jail and is never getting out. Your parents would want you to move on, not torture yourself over what could have or should have happened." Tsunade told him as she looked at their graves. "I bet if they could see you now, they'd be so proud."

"More like disappointed." Naruto said.

"Only if you keep torturing yourself like this every year. Naruto, you've saved countless people as Impulse and at STAR Labs, you can one day solve the world's energy problems. You have friends again, Dr. Wells is back in your life, you help the kids at the shelter and you have a beautiful girlfriend who loves you." Shizune said as she hugged Naruto. "Stop beating yourself up and accept what has happened and move on."

"I'm not going to be forgetting what happened anytime soon." Naruto said.

"She's not saying to forget and move on. She's saying to accept what happened, cherish the memories you have and make new ones. Linda isn't here but you have friends who want to make this Christmas the most memorable one it can be. And I think a nice, peaceful, and quiet Christmas is exactly what you need to help you." Tsunade said.

Unknown to her, this Christmas wasn't going to be nice, peaceful, or quiet. Caitlin was at the Central City Mall, shopping for a present for Dr. Wells and Naruto. She had just finished shopping and was walking to her car in the parking garage talking to Cisco on the phone.

"Well, it was either that or Stephen Hawking's new auto-biography. And we both know how he feels about Hawking. And for Naruto, I have it narrowed down between a lifetime supply of Ramen coupon from that restaurant at the mall or a complete and limited-edition collection set of that manga Naruto likes. One Punch Man, I think." Caitlin said as she chuckled at Cisco's response.

"You're probably right. A lifetime supply coupon for Naruto would tax that restaurant to the bone. There was another manga series I think Naruto would like. Menma it was called. The character kind of looks like Naruto if he had dark hair. Your right, I'll stick with the One Punch Man set. I'll talk to you when I get back, Cisco." Caitlin said as she hung up.

She walked to her car and unlocked the door when she saw the reflection of what looked like a dirty and grizzled Ronnie. She walked down the garage and followed the homeless looking man and saw his head and hands burst into flames. The man turned around and Caitlin could have sworn she saw it was Ronnie.

At Mercury Labs in a restricted wing of the facility under special lock and key, a scientist was locking up a special proto-type in a secure vault before he left for the night. The scientist and the guards were about to leave when the alarm sounded. While the scientist hid in a secure vault, he witnessed a man in yellow blur past and kill the two guards before quickly leaving.

Barry and the CCPD arrived at Mercury labs the next morning, having gotten the call about the attempted break-in and murders. "Barry, what do we got?" Joe asked.

"The blood splatter patterns and trajectory of the remains, only a high-speed collision could have done this. But to cause this type of damage to a human in this space? Whatever hit them would have to have been moving fast." Barry said as Joe realized who it was.

"Get this." Eddie said as he walked over. "The witness says all he saw was a blur. Sound familiar?"

Joe and Barry walked over the Scientist. "You saw a blur? What was it?" Barry asked.

"Whatever it was, it was looking for something." The scientist said.

"Well, what did it look like?" Barry asked.

"Like a—a man in some kind of yellow suit." The Scientist said as Barry realized who had done this.

"Barry, listen—" "I have to check my files. Joe, you heard him, all right. The man that killed my mom—he's back." Barry said.

"I know. He's been in town for a few weeks now. He paid a visit to me at the house. He took all the evidence from your mom's case. The files are gone." Joe said.

"Why wouldn't you tell me this sooner?" Barry asked.

"I couldn't." Joe said.

"Why?" Barry asked.

"Because he threatened to kill Iris." Joe said as Barry shook his head and sighed in desperation. "I know I should have told you this but I couldn't risk putting her in danger. Let's head to STAR Labs, we'll need their help."

Joe and Barry arrived at STAR Labs and told everyone about the break-in at Mercury Labs and that the Man in the Yellow Suit, the man who killed Barry's mother was back after all this time.

"The witness described seeing a yellow blur. Just like the one that killed Barry's mother." Joe said.

"Then we need to get cracking and stop this speed psycho. That—I wasn't trying to give him a name." Cisco said.

"The crime at Mercury Labs was on a floor with highly secured vaults, and the witness said he was looking for something." Barry said.

"Whatever it was, he wanted it badly enough to kill for it." Dr. Wells said.

"And to wait all this time to steal it." Naruto said.

"Doctor, what do you know about this Mercury Labs?" Joe asked.

"Mercury was one of STAR Labs' major competitors until our little setback and then it catapulted to the forefront, led by Dr. Christina McGee. Brilliant but egocentric physicist." Dr. Wells said.

"Aren't they all?" Naruto joked, managing to crack a small smile, and making Cisco chuckle. "It says here that Dr. McGee has secured half a billion dollars in private funding to develop, and I quote, _prototypes for the technology of the future_."

"Well, I'll be. Tina's messing with Tachyons, Superluminal Particles." Dr. Wells said.

"Of course. So, what could someone do with one of those…things?" Joe asked.

"I don't know. The possibilities are endless if you could devise a matrix stable enough to harness their energy." Dr. Wells said as Naruto thought of something.

"Dr. Wells…what would happen to a speedster if they used the tachyon matrix?" Naruto asked as everyone waited for Dr. Wells to answer.

"Well, given the particles nature and a speedster's accelerated cellular makeup and activity…theoretically, a tachyon matrix could potentially increase the speed of the individual to unimaginable lengths." Dr. Wells said as everyone realized that if this Man in Yellow got the Tachyon device, he could be faster than Naruto and Barry combined.

"He's gonna try and steal it again. We need to get the device from Mercury Labs and use it as a lure." Barry said.

"Exactly, right. Cisco, Caitlin, Naruto, let's start engineering a trap." Dr. Wells said as they nodded. Naruto, Cisco, and Dr. Wells managed to get the basic for a trap underway but they would still need the Tachyon device so Naruto, Barry, and Dr. Wells went to CCPD where Dr. McGee would meet them to talk about the break in.

They waited by Joe's desk as Dr. McGee walked in. "Hello, I'm Dr. Tina McGee. I've come as soon as I could. I imagine this is about last night's break-in?"

"It is. Barry Allen. Thank you for coming in." Barry said, shaking her hand.

"My pleasure." Dr. McGee said as she saw Naruto standing next to Harrison Wells. "Harrison, didn't expect to see you here."

"Tina, always a pleasure." Dr. Wells replied.

"Naruto, lovely to see you again." Dr. McGee said as Naruto smiled and shook her hand.

"Likewise, Dr. McGee." Naruto said.

"I heard about your parents, I'm truly sorry they're gone. The world is a lesser place without them and I'm sorry our meeting had to be under these circumstances." Dr. McGee said as Naruto nodded.

"Thank you. Dr. McGee. That's why I'm actually here. I'm here helping with the CCPD about the break in at your lab last night." Naruto said.

"I wasn't aware you had taken to law enforcement." Dr. McGee said.

"Part time. I'm working part time as Barry's assistant in the CSI department while also pursuing a possible career in science." Naruto said as Dr. McGee nodded. She got a text and excused herself to answer it quickly.

"Since when were you working here?" Barry whispered to Naruto.

"Since now. Sent me the paperwork later." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

"Sorry, about that. So, have you managed to gain any new information on these thieves?" Dr. McGee asked.

"No, but our evidence suggests that whoever broke into Mercury Labs was looking for something. Possibly one of your prototypes." Naruto said.

"You'll have to narrow that down. We have literally hundreds of projects in development." Dr. McGee said.

"One containing Tachyonic Particles." Barry said.

"We've had encouraging success with Tachyons, yes, but there's still a significant gap between our prototype and any real-life application." Dr. McGee told them.

"We were hoping you would lend us your prototype to use as a lure." Barry said.

"Us? You're assisting the police now, Harrison?" Dr. McGee asked.

"I'm consulting on this particular case given the scientific density and knowledge to understand it. Listen, Tina, once this man is apprehended, your prototype will be promptly returned. You know nobody wants to ensure the future's technology more than me." Dr. Wells told her.

"I appreciate the CCPD's concern Mr. Allen but Mercury is quite capable of protecting its own assets. Good luck with your manhunt. Give my office a call, Naruto. Mercury labs is always looking for bright young minds. Good day, gentlemen." Dr. McGee said as she left.

"Well, that went as expected." Naruto said.

"I'll talk to Joe. Maybe a court order could get her to cooperate." Barry said as he went to talk to Joe.

"Naruto…perhaps you should stay here and watch over Mr. Allen. With his personal connection to the case…it might be best to have someone who can help him maintain a cool head." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Right. If you need me, just call." Naruto said.

"And you'll be over in a Flash, I know." Dr. Wells joked.

"I would have gone with be there before you could blink." Naruto joked back as Dr. Wells went back to STAR Labs.

While Dr. Wells went back to STAR labs to work on the trap, Cisco and Caitlin went off on a secret trip of their own while Naruto stayed with Barry in his lab. Naruto tried to get Barry's mind off of what was happening but it didn't work. To be honest, Naruto didn't expect anything except for the man in the yellow suit himself would get Barry out of this determined drive.

Iris did come by for a bit to say that Eddie wanted her to move in with him and that Eddie said that Barry liked Iris romantically. And let's just say that it was awkward. Naruto stayed off to the side and tried to stay hidden while Barry had to play the best friend. When Iris left, Naruto felt sorry for what Barry had to go through.

"I'm sorry, Barry." Naruto said as Barry sighed.

"Yeah." Barry replied.

"Look, it may not mean much coming from me…but after what I saw, I think you need to tell her." Naruto said as Barry looked at him.

"Tell her how I feel?" Barry asked.

"I know, she's with Eddie but you've got to at least get this off your chest. Keeping that bottled up is only torturing yourself." Naruto said as he realized he needed to take his own advice.

"It's a lot more complicated than that." Barry said.

"Just because it's complicated doesn't mean that it doesn't need to happen. Look, it may be the wrong time and place but how long are you going to keep doing this to yourself. Barry, I'm your friend and I hate seeing you like this. And a wise old woman told me that the best thing you can do is accept what has happened, move forward and try to find your own happiness." Naruto said as Barry looked at him.

"Since when did you get so sagely. I thought you were in a holiday funk before." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"I was, but the same wise old woman gave the same advice to try and move on and I want to do that." Naruto said as he sighed. "This time of year, has been hard for me. And I guess you too. Not having your parents around to make those holiday memories. But she told me to cherish the memories I have and to move on to make new ones. I have closure…I'll help you get yours."

"Thanks, Naruto." Barry replied.

"If you want Iris to know how you feel, then you've got to tell her. Maybe she'll feel the same way, you never know. But just keeping it to yourself is only going to hurt you more and make you think of what if." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

Naruto put some files and away and checked his email on his phone. He finished and looked out the window, as the thunder boomed and across the street on the rooftop of a building…he saw him. The man in yellow.

"Barry." Naruto said as Barry looked at Naruto. He stood up and looked where Naruto was looking and saw the man in the yellow suit. So, Barry super sped out of the lab as Naruto followed him. They ran down the street and stopped behind a building where the Man in Yellow was waiting for them.

They both got a good look at the man. He was definitely a speedster, by how fast he was running. His entire body was vibrating and his eyes were glowing red. He just stood there, looking at them.

"It was you. You were the one in my house that night. You killed my mother! WHY?!" Barry shouted _ **.**_

" _ **If you want to know that,…. you're gonna have to catch me**_." The Man in Yellow said as he ran away with a trail of red lightning. Barry and Naruto chased after him with their blurs of yellow and orange/white lightning respectively following their trails.

Naruto and Barry zig-zagged throughout the city, down the streets, avoiding cars and pedestrians as they tried to catch up with the Man in Yellow who was extremely fast. Way faster than they were. Naruto looked to his left and saw Barry pushing himself as hard as he could to try and catch the Man in Yellow and Naruto was too but this guy was out of their league. They were slowly catching up as Barry reached out to grab him but the man in yellow zoomed away before Barry could touch him…like he was taunting him.

The Man in the Yellow suit had Naruto and Barry chase him throughout the city until they reached Central City Stadium. Naruto and Barry stopped in the middle of the field, trying to find out where the man could be when the lights in the stadium turned on and began to flicker erratically like something was messing with the electrical field. A blur of red lightning ran through the stadium before it stopped about 80 yards away from Naruto and Barry. The Man in the Yellow suit was standing right there.

Barry was seething in anger as Naruto tightened his fists. "Together, Barry." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

"Let's end this." Barry said as they ran at the Man in the Yellow. The Man in Yellow ran towards them and once he got close enough, he quickly slid down, knocking Naruto and Barry off their feet before they could even react. And since they were running, the momentum sent them flying through the air and tumbling across the ground.

Naruto and Barry looked up and the man was right in front of them. _**"Not fast enough, Flash."**_

He ran as Naruto and Barry chased after him, running through the seats of the stadium. Barry shoved the Man as the man pushed back. Naruto ran next to Barry, then jumped to tackle the man in yellow but he moved out of the way. Naruto and Barry kept shoving and pushing the man in yellow while he shoved back. Naruto and Barry sandwiched the man in yellow but he then slowed down, threw out a series of speed punches all over their bodies, grabbed them by the back, raced back to the field and threw them to the ground.

Naruto and Barry tumbled on the ground as the man in yellow super sped around and kicked them back, before speeding in front of them again. He was taunting them.

"Who are you?!" Barry shouted, blood dripping from his mouth.

" _ **You know who I am, Barry."**_ The man said.

Naruto got up and fought the man in yellow but since he was faster, he could see and block Naruto's moves faster than Naruto could throw them out. Naruto threw out punches, kicks and everything Oliver had taught him but the man in yellow blocked and dodged them all. He then grabbed and twisted Naruto's arm, punched him across the face, kneed him in the gut, punched him 4 times in the gut, before grabbing his head and throwing him to the ground.

Naruto groaned in pain as Barry tried to fight him but it ended the same way with Barry getting his ass kicked. "I don't know who you are!" Barry shouted.

" _ **But you do, Barry. We've been at this a long time, you and I, but I'm always one step ahead."**_ The man said as Naruto tried to attack the man from behind with a vibrating punch but he moved at the last second and hit Naruto with a vibrating punch to the gut and knocked him across the field and into the wall of the stadium.

Naruto coughed up some blood as he saw the man in yellow super speed in front of him. _**"Nice try, Impulse. But not good enough."**_

The man in yellow moved his head to the side to avoid a punch from Barry, hit Barry in the stomach and slammed him to the ground. _**"It is your destiny to lose to me, Flash, just as it was your mother's destiny to die that night."**_ The man in yellow said as he ran away.

Naruto and Barry leaned up and saw the man in the yellow suit was gone. Naruto laid on the ground, groaning in pain as he now knows what Barry must have felt when he had to save him from Prism.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry and Naruto made it back to STAR Labs where they rested in the med lab. Caitlin gave them both a brief checkup and their accelerated healing would make them fine in a few hours if they rested. Naruto and Barry passed out in the med lab and woke up early next morning when they called Joe and Dr. Wells to tell them their fight with the Man in Yellow.

"He acted like he knew me, like we'd done this before." Barry told them.

"He was antagonizing you, Bar." Joe told him.

"It wasn't just that, Joe. The way he spoke, he definitely knew who Barry was. Not just as Barry but as the Flash. He even knew who I was." Naruto said.

"We would get close, and he'd just pull away. We'd fight and he taunt us. This was just some sick game to him!" Barry said.

"You'll catch him. We'll help." Dr. Wells said.

"Dr. Wells, no. This guy, his speed…it's beyond ours. Even combined he took us out like we were nothing. So, how can we even catch somebody that we can't keep up with?" Naruto asked.

"The beautiful things about forcefields is that they are impervious to speed. Now, we're almost finished fabricating the trap, and all that remains is for Detective West to procure the bait." Dr. Wells said.

"I'm on it." Joe said as he left and Barry followed him. "Barry, why don't you stay here?"

"No, Joe, today is not the day to tell me to stay behind." Barry said, pissed, and determined to take down the Man in yellow. Joe and Dr. Wells shared looks of concern about Barry's attitude with this case. Joe left as Dr. Wells looked at Naruto who was looking at his suit.

"Everything ok, Naruto?" Dr. Wells asked.

"I'm fine. Let's get finished with that trap. This speedster isn't getting away this time." Naruto said as they got to work finishing the trap. Cisco and Caitlin went out on something personal and it was hours before they came back. And by the time they did, Joe and Barry had come back with the Tachyon device. They used one of the empty lab spaces in the lower floors to set up the Tachyon Device and the forcefield trap.

"The Tachyon device is in place." Cisco said.

"You think it'll work?" Barry asked.

"It'll work." Cisco said as he left.

"So, how do we advertise to him that the prototype's here?" Barry asked.

"We'll take care of that." Dr. Wells said as he crossed his arms. Barry nodded and looked at Joe who was looking at him just like Dr. Wells.

"What's the problem?" Barry asked.

"Look, Barry…me and Dr. Wells have spoken, and…we think it would be best if you weren't here for this." Joe told him.

"What are you talking about?" Barry asked.

"You're too close to this." Joe told him.

"Or maybe you're not close enough. If you hadn't been too scared and warned me that he was here weeks ago, I could have been prepared for this!" Barry shouted.

"I think we can all appreciated Joe's concern for Iris, Barry." Dr. Wells said.

"Guys, Barry should be here. He deserves to be here. And if something goes wrong, I can't stop him by myself." Naruto said.

"That's why I have to be here. I'm the best chance at catching this guy!" Barry shouted.

"Not right now, not in this state!" Joe told him.

"This man stabbed my mother through the heart and sent my father to prison for it. This is my fight!" Barry shouted.

"Not today, son." Joe said as Barry exhaled, grabbed his jacket, and left in a huff.

"I think you're making a mistake." Naruto told them as he grabbed his suit.

"Barry isn't in the right mind set for tonight, Naruto." Dr. Wells told him.

"Dr. Wells, I don't think Barry would ever be in the right mind set for facing him. That man killed his mother and sent his father to jail for it. He needs closure and justice for what happen and not letting him help is making it worst." Naruto told them.

"We're protecting Barry. If he does help tonight, he may do something he'll regret for the rest of his life." Joe said.

"Like what, kill him? Barry isn't that kind of person, Joe. He's the kindest person I know…next to Caitlin. He doesn't have it in him to be a killer. But what he does need is to be able to confront the man who ruined his life." Naruto said as he walked over to Cisco's station to get some high-calorie energy bars.

"Would you feel the same way if you were in his position?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto stopped. "If you could meet the man who caused the accident, would you be so calm as you are now?"

"I did meet the man who killed them at his trial when they put him in jail. I didn't try to kill him then." Naruto told them.

"And now?" Joe asked.

"If I saw that man again…he'd still be alive." Naruto said as he grabbed his backpack. "Just roughed up a bit. Or a lot."

Naruto left to go train as Dr. Wells looked at him. "And I believe you, Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he watched Naruto leave.

Naruto was walking through STAR Labs to go train when he saw Caitlin sitting down by the pipeline. "Caitlin, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he walked over and sat down next to her.

He saw her looking at her engagement ring and she was on the verge of tears. "Caitlin…seriously, what's wrong? Talk to me." Naruto said as she looked at him, doing her best to hold back tears.

"It's Ronnie. He's alive…and he's changed." Caitlin said as Naruto was shocked.

"How? Where's he been all this time?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not sure. But he's a meta-human. He bursts into flames…and he doesn't remember anything…or me." Caitlin said as tears began falling from her eyes.

"Hey…we're gonna help him." Naruto told her.

"And do what? Lock him in the pipeline with all the other crazy meta-humans?" Caitlin asked as she looked at her ring. "I used to play this game in my head. What would I give up for just one more minute with him? My house, my career…the rest of my life? Today I finally got that minute. And I wish I hadn't. Seeing him like that, what he's become. Dear God…I just wish he had died that day."

Caitlin began crying as Naruto got close to her and held her close. "It's ok." Naruto said as she hugged him and cried her eyes out.

"Caitlin, I don't know what our future holds…but I make you this promise right now. I'm going to do everything within my power, to bring Ronnie home to you. The man that you fell in love with has to be in there…you just have to hope." Naruto said as he hugged Caitlin and Caitlin hugged him tight.

Line Break xxxxx

It was time to spring the trap for the Man in Yellow. Joe, Eddie, and Eddie's special squad of officers were in the Cortex with Dr. Wells, Naruto, Caitlin, and Cisco who were watching the cameras in the trap room. Naruto had hidden everything in the cortex that related to the Flash and Impulse and sealed the case for their suits so no one would see them. It was late and they had been watching the camera for a while to see if the man in yellow would fall for the bait.

"Are you certain this trap with work?" Eddie asked.

"I've sent up at least three charges into open satellite. If anyone's looking for Tachyonic Particles, they'll know we got them." Cisco said as they kept watching the screen.

They waited another 30 seconds when the camera showed a red lightning blur race into the room to take the Tachyon Matrix but the force field came up and the man in yellow was trapped in a forcefield. He began speeding around the force field to try and get out but he was stuck.

"Oh my god." Caitlin said as Naruto glared at the screen, seeing the man they were after trapped like a rat. The man's body was still vibrating so they couldn't what he looked like but he was there.

"Let's see what we caught." Dr. Wells said as Joe, Eddie, and the officers moved to the trap room. Naruto got up to go but Dr. Wells motioned him to stay. "Naruto, stay here. In case something goes wrong."

"Right. Be careful." Naruto told him.

"Always." Dr. Wells replied as he escorted Joe, Eddie, and the officers to the force field and the man in yellow. The officers and Dr. Wells entered the room with their weapons ready as they saw the man in yellow standing there in the force field.

"Cisco! Lights!" Dr. Wells shouted over the intercom.

"Sure thing, Dr. Wells." Cisco said as he turned on the lights in the room.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Naruto said as he watched the cameras.

The lights in the forcefield room turned on and everyone got a good look at the Man in Yellow. Eddie was scared out of his mind but he wouldn't admit that to anyone. Joe was glaring at the man while Dr. Wells was curious as to who he was.

"Detective Thawne, would you like to read him his rights?" Dr. Wells asked as Joe stepped forward.

"Joe, what are you doing?!" Eddie asked.

"Getting some answers." Joe said as he walked up to the Man in yellow. "14 years ago, you murdered Nora Allen. I want to know why. Why?!"

The man in yellow completely ignored Joe and walked closer to the forcefield, looking at Dr. Wells. _**"Dr. Wells, we meet at last."**_ The Man in Yellow said.

"What do you want with the Tachyonic Particles?" Dr. Wells asked.

" _ **My goals are beyond your understanding."**_ The Man said.

"Oh, I don't know, I'm a pretty smart guy. I knew you were exceptionally fast, so any trap we manufactured would have to be invisible. I knew your cells could repair themselves at extraordinary speeds, so you could withstand what the damage this is doing to your body right now." Dr. Wells said as Cisco noticed something going on.

"The super capacitors—the containment field is fluctuating. They need to get out of there now!" Cisco said.

"The reason I know all this is because your powers are almost exactly like those of the Flash." Dr. Wells said.

" _ **Oh, I'm not like the Flash at all. Some would say I'm the Reverse."**_ He said as Naruto, Caitlin, and Cisco saw their camera feed die and their system get hit with a virus.

"Dr. Wells, you need to get out of there! Get out!" Naruto shouted into the intercom as the man in yellow had somehow super sped out of the force field, grabbed Dr. Wells and began beating the holly hell out of him.

"Cisco! Turn off the Barrier! He's got Wells!" Joe shouted as Naruto's eye's flashed with lightning. He grabbed his suit and super sped into the force field room.

"Naruto!" Cisco shouted as Caitlin texted 911 to Barry.

Impulse sped into the room and saw the man in yellow beating Dr. Wells so he ran over to one of the capacitors and yanked the power cords, shutting off the force field. This temporarily got the Man in Yellow's attention as Naruto charged forward and tackled him away from Dr. Wells. Joe, Eddie, Dr. Wells, and the other officers saw Impulse try and fight the Man in Yellow but it ended the same way with him getting his ass kicked again. The man in yellow knocked Impulse away before he grabbed the Tachyon device and ran away. Impulse ran after him as Eddie looked around.

"Find him!" Eddie shouted as they looked around when they heard fighting and turned to see the man in yellow fighting Impulse by the door. They were blocking their only exit. Impulse threw out a barrage of speed punches but the man in yellow blocked and dodged all of them.

Impusle threw out another punch, and then a spin kick but the man in yellow ducked under the kick and knocked Impulse's feet out from under him. He then grabbed Impulse by his neck and threw him at a wall. Impulse groaned in pain as the man in yellow looked at the officers.

Impulse tried to stand up but grabbed his side in pain as Joe ran over to help him. "Don't move! Or we will shoot!" Eddie shouted.

" **No! Get out!"** Impulse shouted as the man in yellow super sped around the officers, and killed them all by punching them in the throats or snapping their necks. The man then knocked Eddie's gun out of his hands and stared at him. Eddie waited to be killed as Joe pulled out his gun and fired.

The man in yellow pushed Eddie out of the way, super sped to Joe and grabbed him by the neck, holding him against the wall. _**"I warned you not to hunt me!"**_ The man in yellow shouted as the Flash sped into the room, grabbed the man in yellow and ran outside. Joe breathed a sigh of relief as he was nearly killed before running over to Dr. Wells.

Impulse grit his teeth before super speeding after the man in yellow to help the Flash. He ran through the building and saw the Flash and man in yellow fighting near the entrance so he ran to help the Flash fight as the three traded blows. They ran so fast in a circle that they actually hovered in the air. They flew up, smashing through the glass ceiling as they hovered up and then fell to the ground. The man in yellow threw Impulse and Flash into cars as they were thrown with enough force to bend the metal.

The man in yellow turned and saw Caitlin and Cisco so he ran to them but Flash and Impulse grabbed him. Which turned out to be a big mistake as he grabbed and twisted their arms and threw them on the ground. Impulse stood up and threw out speed punches but the man in yellow blocked them all before kicking out one of Impulse's legs as he then grabbed a punch thrown by the Flash. The man in yellow bashed the Flash into Impusle before punching the Flash in the face multiple times and knocking him away. He grabbed Impulse by the back and threw him through the air and into a car as he then threw out a series of speed punches at the Flash.

He grabbed the Flash by the neck and yanked his mask off. He kneed him in the face and stood over the Flash ready to lay out another series of speed punches when he was knocked away by a fire blast. The Flash and Impulse leaned up and saw it was a dirty and ragged looking Ronnie with his head and hands on fire. The man in yellow stood up and looked at the Flash and Impulse.

" _ **Our race is not yet done. See you soon, boys."**_ The man in yellow said as he ran away. Impulse groaned in pain as Cisco ran over to check on him as Caitlin ran up to Ronnie.

"Don't look for me again." Ronnie said as he burst into flames and flew away.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and Barry recovered in STAR Labs as Joe took Eddie back to CCPD as they had to explain what happened with the Tachyonic particle device stolen and the death of those officers. Naruto finished resting up as he then walked over to where Caitlin and Cisco were fixing up Dr. Wells.

"Dr. Wells, are you ok?" Naruto asked as he walked over, and Dr. Wells smiled.

"I'm fine, Naruto. I should be asking you that question." Dr. Wells replied.

"No, it should be me asking. You're not the one with accelerated healing." Naruto said. "Seriously, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Scrapes, bruises, nothing too serious that time won't fix. But you saved my life tonight, Naruto. You saved Detective West and Thawne as well." Dr. Wells said.

"But not the other officers. I should have stopped that…Reverse speedster." Naruto said as he sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair.

"That wasn't your fault, Naruto. No one could have anticipated what happened tonight. We were all caught unaware. But we'll be ready next time." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"And next time he won't get away. How did he even grab you? I thought that forcefield would be able to contain a speedster?" Naruto asked.

"I've gone over the data a dozen times and I can't find out what happened. I must have missed something. I'm sorry." Cisco said.

"It's not your fault, Cisco. But if you all feel the need to apologize for something, you might start with not telling me that Ronnie is still alive." Dr. Wells said as they all shared a guilty look.

"I told Naruto and Cisco not to say anything. Once I saw what Ronnie had become, I needed…I needed time to see if I could make him whole again. I'm sorry, I know your mad." Caitlin said.

"No. I don't know what I would have done differently in your situation." Dr. Wells said as he held her hand. "I know I made you a lot of promises. I know I've not been able to keep them all. But on my life, I promise you this…we will bring Ronnie home."

Caitlin smiled as she finished patching up one of Dr. Well's cuts. "Well, I think this was one depressing way to start the holidays." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"Kind of hard to get in the holiday spirit when something like this happens." Naruto said.

"Actually, I think it's something that we could all use. Joe invited us to his holiday party. Maybe a little eggnog and Christmas jolly can make this year end on something a little better than depressing." Caitlin suggested.

"I'm in. Naruto?" Cisco asked as Naruto thought for a moment.

"Yeah. Best thing to do is to move forward. But don't let me drink too much. I've still got some things I need to do at the shelter." Naruto said as they nodded. "Dr. Wells, you coming?"

"I'm not up to a party tonight, Naruto. But thank you. Give Detective West and Mr. Allen my holiday cheer." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded. Naruto helped Dr. Wells into his chair and he, Cisco, and Caitlin went to Joe's house for the holiday party.

Iris and Eddie were there, and they were just waiting on Joe and Barry who arrived about 10 minutes after they did. "Merry Christmas!" They all said.

"What are you guys doing here?" Barry asked.

"I invited them." Joe said as Barry smiled. "Where's Dr. Wells?"

"He wasn't feeling up to a party tonight, but he sends his holiday cheer." Naruto said as Joe nodded. "Eggnog?"

"Yeah, let's do it." Joe said as he and Naruto got some of Grandma Ester's eggnog and it was good. Naruto grabbed an extra cup and handed it to Caitlin as Cisco walked over to Joe.

"Hey, Joe. I saw something weird tonight." Cisco told him.

"Yeah, Cisco I saw it too." Joe replied.

"No, I mean, when the Flash, Impulse and the man in yellow were going full-on bumper cars on each other, I was watching the electricity coming off of them—yellow, red, and white electricity. When Barry was a kid, he said he saw red and yellow lightning in his house the night his mother died." Cisco said as Joe realized what Cisco was implying.

"There were two of them." Joe said as Cisco nodded.

"The man in yellow may have killed Barry's mother, but…there was another speedster there that night." Cisco said as Joe nodded.

"Dad, it's time." Iris said as Joe walked over and grabbed the angel. Everyone got up as Joe attached and lit up the angel, finishing the Christmas tree and for the night, things were starting to look up. Naruto smiled as he saw all his new friends he had made…his new family. Things were looking up and Naruto seemed ready to move past what happened to his parents and get on with his life, not knowing that someone was about to drudge it back up again.

At one of the isolated wings of Iron Heights was the cell of one Andrew Hayes, the man who was charged with drunk driving, destruction of public property, reckless endangerment, one count of attempted manslaughter and two counts of manslaughter. He was the man who caused the accident that killed Naruto's parents. He was serving a 30-year sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years. He was in his cell, finishing a letter that would be sent to the DA for something important.

"Ok, if you have letters please get them ready!" One of the guards shouted as Hayes finished his letter and handed it to one of the guards.

"Make sure that gets to the DA. It's important." Hayes said as the guard just looked at him.

"Whatever, Hayes." The guard said as he took the letter and put it with the pile of letters that would be going out. Another one of the guards saw Hayes letter and grabbed it when no one was looking. He opened it and read the contents before walking away and throwing it in the garbage. He took out his phone and dialed a blocked number.

"Yeah, it's me. It seems that Hayes is having a little remorse about the deal that was struck. Let the boss know." The guard said as he hung up.

Back at STAR Labs, Dr. Wells entered the secret room where he was monitoring the Flash and Impulse's progress as well as the article from the future. He grabbed something in his pocket and took it out to reveal a gold ring with a lightning bolt symbol. He put it on the middle finger of his left hand and walked over to the far wall. He touched it to the wall and the wall opened up to reveal a futuristic display for a mannequin. The mannequin had nothing on it but there was a slot for a small circle to be inserted.

Dr. Wells inserted his ring into the slot and turned his hand to the left and suddenly, a suit appeared on the mannequin: the suit of the Reverse Flash. Dr. Wells picked up the Tachyonic device which was already retrofitted to a Tachyon matrix and attached it to his suit and the tachyonic particles began energizing the suit with energy.

Dr. Wells smiled as he saw his suit absorbing the Tachyonic energy that would make him even faster than he already was. _**"Merry Christmas**_." Dr. Wells said in the Reverse Flash voice

 **End of Chapter 4**

 **1). Imagine the training sequence between Oliver and Slade during Arrow Season 1 episode 14 in the flashback but not as skilled. Naruto holds his own fairly well as Oliver acknowledges that Naruto is getting better before smacking him across the face. Oliver is obviously holding back so Naruto can learn.**

 **I hoped you guys like this chapter that finishing the first third of Season 1. Naruto met Oliver and Team Arrow, trained with him, fought alongside him, and even made him some new arrows. He and Barry then faced against the Man in yellow and realize that he is one meta-human who outmatches them both and they'll need to train their butts off to stop him.**

 **This won't be Naruto's only interaction with Team Flash until episode 22. Naruto will be heading to Starling City again and train with Oliver some more as well as stop a meta-human and meet a new ally, Vixen. That'll come in later chapters.**

 **Next chapter, Flash and Impulse show themselves to Central City as they face Captain Cold and Heatwave. Naruto meets an old rival and discovers something new about Linda that he didn't know before.**

 **Current top speed for Naruto Namikaze AKA Impulse: Mach 1.3=997.45 mph.**

 **Current abilities unlocked now**

 **Super Speed (can run on buildings and water)**

 **Accelerated healing**

 **Enhanced endurance**

 **Enhanced reflexes**

 **Improved homeostasis**

 **Enhanced mental capabilities to speed read and process information quickly**

 **Speed punches: Mach punch**

 **Molecular Oscillation: Vibrate molecules at high frequency (Bold is unlocked or learned at the moment)**

 **Mass/Force punch (** Infinite mass punch potential in the future)

Physical disruption

Air solidification

Intangibility/phasing

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Flash, both belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**


	7. Chapter 5

**Here is Chapter 5 of the Crimson Speedster. Impulse and the Flash deal with some Rogues while helping Team Arrow with a full-blown city takeover. Naruto also learns something new about Linda that he didn't know before. Enjoy!**

 _My name is Barry Allen and I'm one of the fastest men alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother get killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Then an accident made me the impossible. To the outside world, I'm an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I used my speed to fight crime and find other people like me. And one day, I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father. I am…the Flash._

 _Before the Particle Accelerator explosion, I had a very set belief of principles on how the world works. Rules like gravity kept people on the ground, the sun heated the planet and theoretical elements were theoretical. After my parents' death, I gave up on my path in science but after the Particle Accelerator explosion, my body changed in ways that I never imagined. It restarted my life and now I know what to do. I will use my speed to help Barry and everyone keep this city safe and make my parents proud. Meet Central City's newest Speedster, Impulse._

 **Enter the Rogues**

 **2015**

It was a month since their fight with the man in the yellow suit and it affected everyone. Everyone was on edge since the incident and it was kind of hard to usher in the new year after an attack that killed several police officers, the tachyon device being stolen, Dr. Wells injured, and Barry and Naruto losing to the man in yellow. They searched Central City for days and they couldn't find him and wherever he was, he was hiding the Tachyon device. Dr. Wells urged them to be cautious and not seek out the man in yellow until they were stronger and faster to fight him, so they spent their time training.

Naruto and Barry trained their speed to their limits and increased to about Mach 1.4, but they still needed to go faster. Naruto spent his spare time when he wasn't training working on the ARC Reactor. They had begun construction of the reactor and with Naruto's speed, they were 20% complete with construction. Naruto liked to keep himself focused on his work with the ARC Reactor to keep him motivated on moving forward after his and Barry's defeat by the man in yellow. He was still with Linda, but it was a little stressed since she could tell that something was wrong, and he wasn't really able to tell her what was wrong. He hoped that he could change that in the future.

Naruto also began his part-time job at the CCPD as Barry's assistant which consisted of helping Barry at crime scenes, marking and categorizing evidence, and doing the paperwork that went with the evidence. It kept him busy and Naruto was learning some new things.

Right now, Naruto and Barry were at the abandoned Ferris Airs runway for another training sessions. Cisco had rigged up some drones with machine guns, missiles, and enhanced aerodynamic capabilities to test Naruto and Barry's agility and skills to their best. Naruto and Barry had two drones each on their tail as they ran around the runway while the drones chased after them. They were going slower than they could so that the training tested agility and reflexes instead.

Naruto ran down the runway as the drones fired their machine guns at him, so he zipped and weaved from the bullets. He took a quick left as the drones followed him, locked onto his heat signature, and fired two missiles. Naruto saw them coming as he quickly took a right, but the missiles kept coming. Naruto quickly tried to come up with an idea when the missiles hit super-sonic and closed in on him. Naruto got a crazy idea as he made a harsh stop and a quick turnaround, running straight for the missiles. He then hit the ground and slid forward as the missiles weren't able to keep up and make the quick turn. The targeting computer tried to remain locked on and attempted to nose dive to following Naruto's signature, but they hit the ground and exploded.

The explosion force hit Naruto and sent him tumbling across the ground. Naruto groaned in pain as he got back to his feet and quickly dodged to the side to avoid a barrage of bullets from another drone.

"Whoa, that was too close." Caitlin said to Cisco who was controlling the drones.

"They said to make it difficult." Cisco replied.

"I'm pretty sure they didn't mean to try and kill them." Caitlin told him.

"Relax. Remember, this is just a training session to test Naruto and Barry's speed in combat situations." Dr. Wells said as they saw Barry dodge a barrage of bullets while Naruto kept running with the drones on his tail. Naruto ran down the runway, made another abrupt stop and turned around like he did before as the drones fired their machine guns.

Naruto ran forward as he managed to swerve his body to avoid the bullets and kept running. He then jumped forward, vibrated his hands, and smashed the two drones like they were made of plastic. Naruto landed back on the ground and stumbled on his feet before he rolled on the ground and landed on his back. Naruto smirked as he got back to his feet and saw Barry running from his drones, so he ran back to Caitlin, Cisco, and Dr. Wells

"Nicely done, Naruto." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded

"Cisco, are you going to bring it?!" Barry shouted as Cisco looked at Dr. Wells who smirked.

"Bring it." Dr. Wells replied as Cisco pressed a button and the drones fired a missile barrage. Barry managed to avoid most of the missiles but two hit the ground near him and the force sent him flying through the air and he tumbled to the ground in pain.

Caitlin, Cisco, Dr. Wells, and Naruto were concerned as they saw Barry get back to his feet and waited the as the drones closed in on him. Naruto was ready to go and save him as Dr. Wells inched out of the chair. One of the drones fired a missile as Barry ran and jumped forward, grabbed the missile, and threw it back at the drone, destroying it. Barry flew through the smoke, fire, and wreckage and smashed the last drone with a vibrating punch.

Cisco, Caitlin, and Naruto felt relieved as Barry was ok, and Dr. Wells relaxed in his chair. Barry rolled his shoulder and walked over to others. He and Naruto got out of their suits and relaxed in sweats as they ate their fill of Big Belly Burger.

"Very impressive, gentlemen. Your reaction to stimuli at super speed continues to improve." Dr. Wells said to them.

"It's still not enough." Barry said.

"It will be. You keep working like you are, you stay focused like you are, and you will be ready the next time your man in the yellow suit comes around." Dr. Wells said.

"I think you mean…the Reverse Flash." Cisco said as everyone looked at him. "What? He said it, not me. And he's right. Yellow suit, red lightning, and evil—the reverse of Barry."

"Meh." Caitlin replied.

"Actually, I kind of like it." Dr. Wells said.

"All right, I'm still ready for another round. How many drones do you have left?" Barry asked.

"Two. And…they've got lasers." Cisco said.

"No!" Caitlin and Dr. Wells said.

Barry and Naruto kept training for about a few more hours when they stopped for the day. They went back to STAR Labs where Caitlin gave them a quick check up and they were cleared. Barry went back to his apartment while Naruto was on his way back to the shelter. He took a shower, got dressed in jeans, sneakers, a black-shirt, and crimson hoodie and walked into the kitchen to get a snack. He walked in and saw some of the kids at one of the tables doing their homework. He smiled as he walked over and got a bag of chips from the cabinet and walked over to help them.

He helped them with their math and science homework with ease since it was all easy to Naruto. "Naruto!" Naruto heard as he saw Tsunade walk in. "Linda's here."

"Oh. Ok. I'll be right there." Naruto said as he got up and walked into the atrium to see Linda there. "Hey, Linda. What are you doing here? Did we have date night?"

"No, I just thought I'd surprise you." Linda said with a smile as Naruto chuckled.

"And I'm surprised. What brought this on?" Naruto asked.

"Well, I've noticed things have been a little rough lately. Maybe, we could talk." Linda said as Naruto nodded.

"Listen, if this is about how I've been acting the past month I'm sorry. It's just, I've been a little stressed at STAR Labs and now I have the part time job helping Barry at CCPD and things have gotten a little hectic. But I'm ok now, and things will get back to normal with us." Naruto said.

"Normal sounds good although I prefer a little excitement every now and then." Linda said as Naruto chuckled.

"Well, I can promise you some excitement if you're stuck with me." Naruto joked.

"So, we're ok?" Linda asked as Naruto stepped forward and kissed her.

"We're better than ok." Naruto replied. "I promise the next time something seems wrong I'll tell you. No secrets."

"Yeah, no secrets." Linda said as she seemed to think about something. "Come on. Let's head to that karaoke bar."

Naruto was about to head out with Linda when he got a text. He saw it was from Barry. A police emergency. "Sorry, I'm going to have to take a rain check. Looks like CSI is needed." Naruto said as he put his phone away and kissed her. "Sorry, but I have to go. How about breakfast tomorrow?"

"That's fine. Now, get going and catch some bad guys." Linda said as Naruto smiled at how understanding she was.

"I don't deserve you." Naruto replied.

"No, you really don't." Linda replied as she kissed him. Naruto went to get his jacket while Linda left. As she left, the lights in the hallway flickered a bit as Shizune looked confused. She flicked the light switch on and off and the lights seemed fine.

"Weird." She said as she got back to the laundry.

Naruto super sped to the CSI lab where Barry grabbed his equipment. "Hey, Naruto. Here, take this one." Barry said as Naruto grabbed the briefcase. "Sorry for the late call but crime doesn't exactly take the night off."

"No problem. Although I'm going to have to make sure that breakfast tomorrow is amazing." Naruto said.

"Why's that?" Barry asked.

"Well, when you texted, Linda and I were going to go out. She let me reschedule and I love her for it, but I'll have to make sure that breakfast tomorrow is amazing to make up for that." Naruto said as Barry nodded.

"Sorry." Barry replied as he grabbed the last of his equipment. "So, you and Linda getting kind of serious?"

"Yeah, I guess we are. I mean, she's great. She's funny, smart, witty, not afraid to speak her mind and she's already won Tsunade and Shizune's approval which says something." Naruto said as Barry could tell that Naruto really liked Linda. Barry didn't know Linda that well but from their brief encounters, she was really nice and witty. "Kind of serious that…I'm thinking of telling her about me."

"And by that you mean about what you can really do?" Barry asked.

"Yeah. I'm sick of lying to her about who I really am. It put some tension on our relationship last month because of what happened with the Reverse Flash and I couldn't exactly tell her what was wrong." Naruto said as Barry nodded. "And I trust her. I think she should know."

"Well, if you trust her that's good enough for me. You should ask the rest of the team later. For now, we've got a job to do." Barry said as they super sped to the location of the crime which happened to be a custom warehouse. The truck entrance to the warehouse was literally smashed open. Barry and Naruto got on the scene as Joe walked up to them.

"Hey guys. Here's what we got. The silent alarm of the warehouse went off for obvious reasons. We're thinking a robbery." Joe said as Barry nodded.

"All right. We'll get started. Naruto, start with getting any kind of evidence off of the door." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"On it." Naruto said as he walked over to the broken door, put his gloves on and began getting to work.

"How's he doing?" Joe asked as Barry looked at Naruto.

"Naruto's got another option for a career if he wants one." Barry said as Joe nodded.

Barry got to work on the shattered door remains that littered the floor as one of the patrol officers came by after speaking with the warehouse supervisor.

"Are you sure nothing's missing?" Joe asked.

"That's what the supervisor said. Every single car is accounted for. I can check again." The officer said as he went to speak to the supervisor as Eddie walked over. Barry looked at the shattered remains of the door and tested a few pieces as Joe and Eddie walked over.

"Bar." Joe said as Barry looked up.

"Hey. Well, the breakage and pattern of the remains indicates that the door somehow had zero viscoelasticity when it hit the ground." Barry told them.

"What does that mean to normal people?" Joe asked, confused.

"It shattered like glass." They heard as Naruto walked over with some bagged evidence. "I checked out the door and the discolored areas have the same tensile durability as the shattered remains. But the rest of the door seems to be normal."

"So, what does that mean?" Eddie asked.

"It means, that whatever did this affected a small part of the garage enough for a car to break through. I bagged some evidence, so we can get a read on what did this." Naruto said as he put it in the briefcase.

"Naruto, can you break off a piece from the door." Barry said as Naruto nodded. Naruto walked over and broke off a small piece of the shattered door and it snapped off like it was made of glass. Naruto tossed it to Barry who looked at it, curious as to what could have made steel break so easy. He took off his glove and touched it even though he wasn't supposed to, but it was a gut feeling. He touched the piece and it was cold…ice cold. "It was frozen, Joe."

"Snart." Joe said as Barry nodded.

"He's back." Barry replied.

"I thought Snart was some world-class thief. All these expensive cars…he didn't take any of them? It doesn't make sense." Eddie said.

"Eddie, put out an APB on Snart." Joe told him.

"Got it." Eddie said as he left to call it in.

"Snart wasn't here to steal anything." Barry said as Joe nodded.

"He was setting a trap." Joe replied.

"For us. And by us, I mean— ""Yeah, I know what you meant." Joe said, finishing his thought.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry and Naruto told Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco about Snart's return and that he was most likely here for another match with the Flash. Dr. Wells cautioned Barry about fighting with Snart because the last two times they fought, innocent people were put in harm's way. If they did engage Snart, the same thing was likely to happen for Snart to even the odds, but if they didn't he might back off. Dr. Wells, Cisco, and Naruto would develop something for the police to counteract Snart's cold gun, but the decision was ultimately up to them.

Naruto arrived at STAR Labs early the next day after breakfast with Linda to work on the countermeasure for Snart's cold gun. He arrived in the cortex and saw only Dr. Wells.

"Hey, Dr. Wells." Naruto said.

"Morning, Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he sipped his coffee.

"I've got an idea about how we can keep the police safe from Snart's cold gun. What if we take the police's riot shield and lay out a ceramic heating ribbon to withstand and melt ice." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled.

"Great minds think alike as I had the same revelation last night. We can incorporate a special nano-weave fiber to make the shields light while maintaining the atomic structure of the ceramic heating ribbon." Dr. Wells said as he moved to a computer. "Where's Barry?"

"He's at work. I'm going to meet with him later once we drop off the new shields." Naruto said as he thought for a moment. "Do you really think Snart will just back up if we don't get involved?"

"Most likely. Someone like Snart is driven. From the brief glances I took at his police and psychological profile, going after you may not be a simple matter of keeping you from interfering in future heists of his but as a way of settling a grudge. Snart is cunning and calculated and he's fought both of you before. He'll have contingencies for his plan that most likely puts you and Barry at a disadvantage. If you don't engage him, then he might just walk away." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded. "The choice is ultimately up to you but if you go into this fight, you must be careful."

"Always, Dr. Wells." Naruto said as they moved to the workshop. "There's also something else."

"What is it?" Dr. Wells asked.

"It's about what we do and the secret we don't tell everyone. I want to tell Linda about who I am and what I can do." Naruto said as Dr. Wells stopped and looked at him.

"And by this I assume you mean about you being a meta-human and what we do here at STAR Labs?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Look, I understand that this is a secret that no one should know about, but I trust her. And if I want to have a chance at something real with her then I need to tell her the truth." Naruto said as Dr. Wells sighed.

"And the fact that your telling me about his means that you want to know the group's decision before you tell Ms. Park?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Joe already knows and Tsunade and Shizune as well and its worked out for us. I really see myself having something with Linda and I can't move forward with her if I don't tell her who I really am." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"And I understand that, Naruto. Do what you feel is best." Dr. Wells said as he moved over to a computer.

"That's it? I was expecting more of a fight." Naruto said.

"Perhaps it's the old romantic in me but if I was in your situation with Tess, then I would do what I felt was best to be with her." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Thank you, Dr. Wells. But I'm not sure if Linda and I have the same thing that you and Tess did. At the moment, anyway." Naruto said as Dr. Wells smiled at him.

"Give it time. Something tells me that Naruto Namikaze and Linda Park have a bright future together." Dr. Wells said as Naruto smiled and they got to work.

They got to work on the ice-counter measures for the police as Cisco joined them and they had a proto-type set for testing and once it passed the test, they'd make several for the police. Naruto went to the cortex to get some extra ceramic wires for the shields and saw Caitlin sitting at the computer, diligently searching for something.

"Hey." Naruto said as she gasped, caught off guard. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's ok. I was just kind of focused." Caitlin said as Naruto nodded and looked at what she was searching, and it was the word Firestorm.

"Firestorm?" Naruto asked.

"It's one of the last things Ronnie said to me before he…flew away. My dead fiancé can fly. I haven't broken that to my parents yet." Caitlin said as Naruto thought for a moment.

"Firestorm. Where have I heard that before?" Naruto asked himself.

"You've heard it before?" Caitlin asked.

"Yeah. Where did I hear it? Back in a sec." Naruto said as he super sped out of the lab and went to his room in the shelter. He began speeding around the room looking for anything to do with Firestorm when he found all his old binders and notes from his classes with Professor Stein. He opened one from his sophomore year and in his folder, was a print out of an academic paper Professor Stein gave Naruto to read for extra credit…Project F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. "That's it."

Naruto super sped back to the cortex and saw Barry talking to Caitlin. He stopped in a whoosh of air that blew Caitlin's hair all over the place. "Sorry. Here, this is Firestorm." Naruto said as he showed her the paper.

"Fusion Ignition Research Experiment and Science of Transmutation Originating RNA and Molecular Structures." Caitlin said as she read the cover.

"Wow, that's a mouthful." Barry said as Caitlin looked it over.

"It's over 800 pages. Where did you get this?" Caitlin asked.

"From one of my theoretical physics classes at college. I was doing very well, and the professor gave me this to read for extra credit. I'll save you the stress of having to read it but basically the paper is about the idea of transmutation. It's the process of altering the structure of an element by unzipping the atoms with nuclear energy and rebuilding it to create an entirely new element." Naruto told her.

"Wow. What could this have to do with Ronnie?" Caitlin asked as Naruto thought back to when Ronnie saved him and Barry from Reverse Flash with a fireball.

"Caitlin, is our suit data still in the computer?" Naruto asked as Caitlin nodded so Naruto went searching for that night's data.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked as Naruto brought up the data and the scans from their suits showed increased levels of nuclear radiation. "Whoa, what caused those radiation levels to go up?"

"Ronnie. One of the points of the paper was manipulating nuclear energy to trans-mutate elements, and I think that the fireball Ronnie used to save us was actually trans-mutating nuclear energy into the form of fire." Naruto told them.

"A nuclear fireball." Barry said.

"Pretty much. Whatever happened to Ronnie…it looks like he somehow became Firestorm." Naruto said.

"Then how do we help them? Can we talk to the person who published this paper? Professor Martin Stein?" Caitlin asked.

"That's probably not going to happen. Professor Stein went missing the night the accelerator went off. He's most likely dead." Naruto said as they had a moment of silence. "But the paper was co-written by Jason Rush, one of Professor Stein's grad students. He might be able to help."

"Thanks, Naruto." Caitlin said as she began looking for a way to contact Jason Rush.

Naruto went back to working on the shields for the police and the proto-type passed the test, so they began making more. Once they finished, they went to the Police Station to demonstrate them to Captain Singh and the other officers. They set up a test dummy in the main atrium in the police station as Captain Singh and the other officers were standing around to watch. Dr. Wells was there as well as Naruto and Cisco with a make-shift freezing gun/tank on his back.

"Excuse me! Can I have everyone's attention!" Cisco shouted.

"You have our attention, Mr. Ramon." Captain Singh said Naruto shook his head and chuckled.

"Focus, Cisco." Naruto told him as Cisco nodded.

"Right. Now, Dr. Wells, Naruto, and I took your ballistic shields and we lined them with a pretty sweet compacted heating ribbon designed to repel temperature attacks, especially those reaching absolute zero, like Captain Cold's Gun." Cisco told them.

"And that's supposed to keep us from turning into popsicles?" One of the officers asked.

"That's what he just said." Naruto said.

"How are we supposed to trust anything from STAR Labs after you nuked the city?" One of the officers asked as Cisco, Naruto, and Dr. Wells shared a look.

"You're right. You're right, you shouldn't trust us. What happened a year ago—that was our fault. And we can't change the past, as much as we wish we could. But tomorrow is a different story, a different thing. We just want the chance to make things better. Observe." Cisco said as he put on his safety goggles and fired his ice gun at the shield. The force pushed the dummy back a bit as ice began to form on the shield but once Cisco stopped firing, the ice began melting.

Nearby officers walked over to check it out and were impressed. "Dummies are one thing. My officers are another." Captain Singh said to Cisco.

"Nicely done, Cisco." Naruto said to him.

"He doesn't seem to think so." Cisco said, referring to Captain Singh.

"Let it be. Singh is like that." Naruto said as he went to get the other shields for the police.

At a private air hangar in Central City, a jet landed with the Rathaway's. One of Central City's richest couple who returned from France with a painting they bought at auction for 25 million dollars. The flight landed as the crew and the workers helped the Rathaway's.

"Pleasant flight, Mrs. Rathaway?" One of their servants asked as he helped her out of the plane.

"Yes. Thank you." She replied as Mr. Rathaway walked out of the plane with the painting.

"Careful, please. It's worth a fortune." Mr. Rathaway said.

"Welcome home, Mr. Rathaway." The servant said.

"Thank you, Ethan." Mr. Rathaway replied as they walked to their car.

"Sir, you son Hartley—he called again." Ethan said.

"We don't have a son anymore." Mr. Rathaway replied.

One of the security guards opened the car door but was then blasted by a blue beam and frozen. The other guards went to protect the Rathaway's as Snart walked into the hangar. "Someone better call 911!" Snart shouted he aimed his gun at them and they backed away. "Lovely painting. Thank you so much for picking it up for me. I hate flying."

He then shot a blast near them to frighten them as they backed away. "You won't get away with this. The police are on their way!" Mr. Rathaway shouted.

"Perfect." Snart said as he fired another blast in the air. "Now go."

They ran for their lives as Snart heard the police closing in. He double-checked his gun as police cruisers swerved to a stop in front of the hangar. Joe, Eddie, a whole bunch of other officers armed with the new anti-cold shields ran forward.

"Snart, freeze!" Joe shouted as Snart fired his gun and the ice blast hit their shields but instead of freezing and cracking, the ice melted away and the officers were safe. He fired another blast as the ice melted but the impact from the blast kept the police back.

Snart realized this wasn't working so it was time for plan B. "MICK!" Snart shouted.

"GAAAH!" Mick shouted as he came from behind a plane.

"What the hell?" Joe shouted.

"Why do they call you people the heat?! I'M THE HEAT!" Mick shouted as he fired his fire gun and huge torrent of fire hit the police shields and forced them back.

A few officers were hit by the fire and were taken away, but the intense heat of the flames made all the officers back off for risk of being burned alive. The shields kept them alive, but it wasn't designed to repel such intense heat, so it quickly began to heat up and burned the officers who held them.

"Forget the cops, Mick! Get ready for them!" Snart shouted as he fired his cold gun to keep the officers away.

"It's beautiful!" Mick shouted as he was engrossed by the flames and heat his gun displayed.

"Mick! Mick! MICK!" Snart shouted to get his friend back on task when Joe blindly fired his gun and a bullet managed to hit Mick's heat gun. "We go, now!" Snart shouted as he fired his ice gun and they made their escape.

Line Break xxxxx

Snart and Mick got away and returned to their hideout while the police licked their wounds and tended to the people who were seriously hurt. Mick was at his workstation, fixing his gun.

"The cop's bullet ruptured the secondary internal fuel chamber. It could've been worse." Mick said as he put the tool down and picked his gun up. "You were right to get me to learn every part and circuit of this thing. Repairing it was…a snap."

Mick turned around and pointed his gun at Snart who had his gun pointed at him. "Give me one good reason I don't kill you right now." Snart said.

"It's going to be hard to find someone else to listen to your winning speeches." Mick replied.

"You lost it out there, just like the last job. You lost focus, became obsessed." Snart said.

"I'm obsessed? What about you? You're usually counting the seconds, got the whole thing planned out, dotting T's, crossing I's. But all you care about now is those two speedsters." Mick told him.

"We need to put them down, Mick." Snart told him.

"Why? We got the finger painting. It's worth millions. It's ours. We're rich, job done." Mick replied.

"And what about the next job, Mick? And the job after that? With weapons like these, no one can stand against us, no one except the Flash and Impulse." Snart said as he lowered his gun. "If you want out, take the painting and go. But if you want to make Central City our home, where we can do and take whatever we want…this is our chance…your chance."

"Mm…" Mick thought as he fired his gun at the painting and burnt it to a crisp. "Very motivational. How do we get them?"

"The speedsters aren't so different from us. They've got partners too." Snart said as he had a plan.

Naruto arrived at STAR labs the next day after they saw what Snart and his accomplice was able to do, using some kind of high-tech flamethrower that put some of the police in the hospital. He walked into the cortex and saw Cisco, Barry, and Dr. Wells at the computer.

"Naruto, perfect timing. Check this out." Cisco said as he brought up an image of the flamethrower Snart's partner used.

"When the heat gun was fired it increased the surrounding temperature of the air dramatically, sort of like an extreme heat wave." Cisco said as he then smiled. "Heat Wave."

"Stop doing that." Dr. Wells told him.

"Okay. I measured the temperature output of both the cold and heat guns, right? And while the cold gun achieves absolute zero, the heat gun successfully reaches absolute hot, or the hottest temperature an object can reach." Cisco said.

"Planck temperature." Barry said.

"So potentially, these two guns could cancel each other out." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, but to do that, you'd have to make them cross streams." Cisco said.

"Like Ghostbusters?" Barry asked.

"That film is surprisingly scientifically accurate." Cisco said.

"And really quite funny." Dr. Wells added.

"This is good, Cisco. An excellent plan B." Naruto said.

"Plan B? Why not a plan A?" Cisco asked.

"Well, Plan A would be to grab their guns before they could even use them. I mean, Barry and I now max out at Mach 1.4, fast enough that Snart and his partner wouldn't be able to see us before they could fire their weapons." Naruto said as he felt his phone vibrating.

"You think they'll give you the chance? Snart is clever and knows that he'll try and keep you distracted." Dr. Wells said.

"That's why I said it's a good plan B." Naruto said with a smirk as he saw it was Joe. "Hey, Joe, what's up? What? Yeah, Barry and I will be there immediately."

"What's wrong?" Dr. Wells asked.

"It's Caitlin. Snart has her." Naruto said as they all shared looks of dread as Naruto and Barry super sped to the accident site.

Naruto and Barry arrived and saw police tape and several police cars and officers set up near Caitlin's car that was covered in ice. Naruto and Barry walked up to the scene as Joe finished talking with an officer. Naruto ran his hands through his hair and began freaking out as Snart now had Caitlin and was doing god knows what to her.

"Joe, anything?" Barry asked.

"There's no sign of Caitlin." Joe said as Naruto exhaled in frustration.

"Son of a bitch!" Naruto shouted as he ran over and kicked the fence as Joe and Barry ran over and calmed him down.

"Easy, Naruto. Don't worry, we're getting her back." Barry said.

"Damn right we are. Let's go." Joe said as they for the police station. They exited the elevator as Eddie walked down the stairs with a file.

"Joe! Got an id on the second pair of prints. They belong to a Mick Rory." Eddie told them as Joe looked over the file.

"Who the hell is he?" Barry asked.

"Big time arsonist. He and Snart have been known associates of each other for years. Last year they worked a job that went bad. Half of Rory's body was burned in a fire that got out of control. He escaped from an ambulance on the way to the hospital, hasn't been seen since. Why would they kidnap someone like Caitlin?" Eddie asked.

"Joe, Thawne, it's on every station!" Captain Singh said as he turned the TV volume up to show camera footage of Snart and Caitlin being held by Rory

"Caitlin." Naruto said, seeing her held captive.

" _Greetings, citizens of Central City. I am Leonard Snart. But you can call me Cold. I'm gonna make this very simple for everyone. Those red and orange streaks you've been hearing whispers about, the ones mysteriously saving people these past few months? Well, surprise. They…are…real. The Flash, and his little sidekick Impulse. Porter and Main, tonight, sundown. Come out, come out, wherever you are, Flash. Show the whole world you're real. Or this woman dies."_ Snart said.

" _No, don't come for me. Stay away!"_ Caitlin shouted as the video feed cut.

"Ok, everyone I want tactical units and patrol cars ready at Porter and Main and I want that area clear of civilians in two hours. It's five until sundown, let's get ready." Captain Singh said as everyone got to work.

"That son of a bitch is gonna regret coming back to Central City." Naruto said as he and Barry left for Star Labs.

Mick had taken Caitlin and tied her to a chair while Snart got ready for their fight with the Flash and Impulse. "You're a friend to these guys. They're fast…like fire." Mick said as he took out and lit his lighter. "Fire, it's undefinable. Heat, light, energy. It's an evolution when things burn."

"You're sick." Caitlin said to him.

"Maybe you're the sick ones. You ever think about that?" Mick asked.

"Not really." Caitlin said as she looked at his burns. "You have third-degree burns. Why didn't you get skin grafts?"

"The fire revealed my true self, showed me who I really am. I wonder what your speedster friends will reveal when I burn their suits and skin off." Mick said.

"Do whatever you want to me but leave them alone." Caitlin warned him as Mick was amused.

"You and these guys must be really close if you're willing to die for him. You want me to show you who you really are? That'd be fun. Show you, who you really are." Mick said as he held his flamethrower to Caitlin's face.

"Mick." Snart said, getting him to stop. "Time to go."

Mick then turned the switch on a device and grabbed a fishing wire. "You better pray that the next people that come through that door is us." He said as he put a gag in her mouth and left.

Back at STAR Labs, Naruto was at the computer while Barry was pacing back and forth. "Please stop that, you're distracting me." Naruto said as he tried to stay focused.

"Sorry. Anything yet?" Barry asked as Naruto nodded and motioned him to come over.

"From Caitlin's car, I managed to piece together surveillance footage of Snart and Rory that leads to a 2 square mile area near the industrial sector." Naruto said as Barry looked over the information.

"That's a lot of ground to cover." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"I know, but I think I Mick Rory will want to have it hot." Naruto said as he brought up thermographic imaging from the STAR Lab's satellite as it began running scans of the area which would take a few minutes.

Barry then got a call from Joe telling him that it was time. "It's time." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"Go and just keep them occupied, I'll come when Caitlin's safe." Naruto told him as Barry nodded and got suited up as Naruto stayed at the computer until it finished the search. He then got a ping on an old pipe warehouse and the heat signature there was 3 times intense than any of the other buildings in the area. "I'm coming Caitlin."

Naruto grabbed his suit and ran through the city in a blur of orange and white lightning and arrived at the warehouse as Joe and Cisco pulled up in Joe's car. "You sure this is the place?" Joe asked.

"I checked the CCTV footage and satellite images. Unless this place is suddenly back into production, this is it." Naruto said as Joe nodded and pulled out his gun.

"Stay close." Joe told Cisco as Naruto opened up the loading bay door and they walked in.

"Caitlin?" Cisco called out as they heard a muffle. "Caitlin is that you?"

Cisco walked forward and saw Caitlin tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth. "Caitlin, don't worry. We're gonna get you out of there." Cisco said as he walked forward when Naruto saw the gleam of a metal wire.

"Cisco, wait!" Naruto shouted as Cisco tripped the trip wire and pulled the pin on a grenade. Naruto ran forward and pulled Cisco back and then quickly ran forward and grabbed Caitlin from the spot and covered her just as the grenade exploded in a huge plume of fire. "Caitlin, you ok?"

She nodded as Naruto pulled her the gag off and hugged her close. "Nice moving there, Naruto." Caitlin said as Cisco and Joe came over and helped her up.

"We'll get her to CCPD." Joe said as Naruto nodded.

"All right, it's time Snart's little vendetta ends." Naruto said as he super sped away and through the city to the fight.

The Flash was doing his best to keep Snart and Rory occupied like Naruto said to until they could find Caitlin and make sure she was safe. Dr. Wells told him to try and get them to cross their guns but it was a lot harder than that as Snart was doing his best to keep the Flash at a distance and Rory backed him up. The Flash ran up the side of a building as Snart and Mick fired at him with their guns while Captain Singh and Eddie watched the fight as Iris had arrived to make sure Eddie was ok.

"The fight is spreading past the evac point. We need to expand the perimeter!" Captain Singh shouted as Eddie walked up to him.

"We can't. We can't let this spread." Eddie said as he grabbed one of the STAR Labs riot shields and was about to help the Flash when a whoosh of air blew past him in a trail of orange and white lightning.

"Impulse." Captain Singh said as they saw Impulse join the fight.

" **HEY!"** Rory heard as he turned and was greeted with a super speed fist to the face that sent him off his feet, flying through the air and into a car. Impulse hit him with enough force that the metal of the car bent from the impact as Rory was knocked unconscious. Snart saw Impulse and aimed his gun as the Flash ran by, swiped his gun, and punched him across the face. Impulse picked up the heat gun and vibrated his hand through it, breaking it in two while the Flash dismantled the ice gun.

"Not bad, boys. I guess you win this time." Snart said.

" **There won't be a next time."** Flash said as Impulse then kicked him across the face and knocked him out.

" **That's for Caitlin."** Impulse said as he looked at the Flash and nodded. He looked up and saw the news helicopter circling above with the spotlight shined on them along with the horde of news cameras at the police perimeter. **"Let's get out of here."**

" **Race you."** Flash said as the two super-sped out of the area leaving the police to arrest Snart and Rory.

Barry and Naruto got dressed back in their civilian clothes and arrived at the CCPD as the officers brought in Snart and Rory for processing. Snart was cool and calm while Rory was struggling and trying to get free.

"BURN! ALL OF YOU! I'LL ROAST EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU PIGS! RAH!" Rory shouted as he was dragged away with Snart behind him.

"You're partner's a real hot head, Snart." Joe told him.

"That's funny." Snart replied.

"You know what's hilarious, Snart? We got you." Joe said.

"Congratulations." Snart replied.

"Get him out of here." Joe said as the officers took him away and Eddie walked up to Naruto holding the two guns Snart and Rory used.

"Here, we won't be needing these for the trial." Eddie told him as Naruto nodded and put them in a tub.

"They won't be hurting anyone again." Naruto said as Eddie nodded and walked away.

"Naruto." Naruto heard as he turned to see Captain Singh holding his hand out. "Thank you and thank your STAR Labs friends for us."

"Yes, sir." Naruto replied as he shook his hand with a smile. Naruto took the tub of guns as the cops began talking about the Flash and how great he was which made Barry smile. "What? I took out Rory. I don't get any praise?"

"Maybe next time, sidekick." Barry joked.

"I'm getting a publicist." Naruto said causing Barry to laugh.

Line Break xxxxx

The guns were destroyed and any kind of link, blueprint, or piece of information of how they could be made was erased from the STAR Labs servers. Snart and Rory were then shipped out to Iron Heights for life sentences and things were looking good in Central City. It was only a day after they put Snart and Rory away that Naruto learned Team Arrow in Starling City needed help. Naruto was working on part of the reactor ring at STAR Labs while Dr. Wells was busy doing something, Cisco and Caitlin were elsewhere and Barry was at the CCPD. Naruto adjusted some measurements when his tablet began showing breaking news from Starling about the recent murders of two Starling City aldermen and the rescue attempt fail by Arsenal and a woman in black suit and a blonde wig, but Naruto noticed the Arrow was nowhere to be seen. **(1)**

"What the hell?" Naruto asked as he took out his phone to call Oliver but didn't get anything. Naruto called again but got nothing so he called Felicity.

" _Hello?"_ Felicity answered.

"Felicity, it's Naruto. I saw what happened on the news. Is everyone ok?" Naruto asked.

" _I think so. To be honest, I haven't been in the bunker in a few days_." Felicity said as Naruto could tell something was wrong.

"Felicity, what's wrong?" Naruto asked.

" _Naruto…Oliver—Oliver's dead."_ Felicity said as Naruto was shocked.

"What?" Naruto asked.

" _He, he went to fight the head of the league of assassins to save his sister and he didn't make it. I can't talk right now, I need to go."_ Felicity said as she hung up.

Naruto was frozen in shock as Oliver was dead, he seemed un-killable. Naruto looked at the news and the reporter went on to elaborate that this attack was because of a local gang leader named Daniel Brickwell. Naruto watched the news and set his mind to what he felt he had to do. Naruto walked into the cortex, grabbed a spare bag from the cabinet and filled it up with several high-energy calorie bars and grabbed his suit off of the mannequin.

"And where do you think you're going?" Naruto heard as he turned to see Dr. Wells.

"Starling City." Naruto said as he put his boots in the bag.

"Off for another unscheduled trip with the Starling City Vigilante?" Dr. Wells asked.

"No. He's dead." Naruto said as Dr. Wells froze.

"Oh." Dr. Wells said.

"But Felicity and his team need help. And I'm going to help them." Naruto said as he put the rest of his suit in the bag and zipped it up. "Don't try to talk me out of this. I made up my mind."

"I know, and I know better than to stop you, especially when I literally can't." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"Tell Barry and the others I'll be back as soon as I can." Naruto said as he slung the pack of his shoulder.

"And if Linda should call?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Tell her it was an emergency. I'll explain this and everything to her when I get back." Naruto said as he walked to the door.

"Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he stopped and turned. "Be careful."

"As careful as anyone can be." Naruto said as he super sped out of Central City to Starling City, 600 miles away.

In Starling City, Roy and Diggle were in the bunker after the failed rescue of the Aldermen, contemplating their next move and if they could protect the city without Oliver. Roy was brooding at the table while Diggle walked over to Oliver's chest and took out the bottle of Russian Vodka and two glasses.

"That Alderman died because of the decision I made. And there was no Mirakuru to blame this time." Roy said as Diggle walked over.

"Don't take that on yourself, man. That was Brick." Dig said as he poured two glasses of Vodka.

"What's that?" Roy asked.

"Sometimes, me and Oliver will come down here after, you know, tough nights. He would pour this. Look up and say…Prochnost." Dig said as he and Roy took their glasses.

"What does that mean?" Roy asked.

"I have no earthly idea." Dig said as Roy chuckled. "To Oliver."

"To Oliver." Roy said as they cheers and took a sip.

"I think the word means strength." They heard as they turned to see Naruto walk in with a bag slung over his shoulder. "Probably a rough translation but something along those lines."

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Dig asked.

"I saw what happened on the news and Felicity told me what happened. I'm sorry about Oliver." Naruto said as he put his bag on a table. He grabbed a clean glass poured himself a full glass of vodka and downed it all like it was water which surprised Dig and Roy. "We honor the dead by living tomorrow."

"Who said that?" Roy asked as Naruto grimaced at the memory.

"My godfather. Oliver may be dead but the city he cares about isn't. He trusted it to you and you owe it to him to keep fighting, no matter the hurtles or obstacles. And I'm here to help." Naruto said as Dig and Roy smiled.

"And good thing you came when you did." They heard Felicity say as she and someone Naruto didn't know walk in.

"Who's this?" The woman asked.

"Naruto Namikaze, from Central City. Meta-human with super speed, goes by Impulse. This is Laurel Lance, ADA for the city, also goes by Black Canary." Felicity said as Naruto nodded.

"Right. So, why are you glad I came when I did?" Naruto asked.

"I talked to my father. He said the mayor is going to cave and cede control over the glades. They're going to evacuate the police force." Laurel said.

"So, it's up to us to stop Brick." Felicity said.

"Us? What are you and Laurel a team now?" Roy asked.

"I was wrong when I said Oliver's mission was over. Naruto's right. It's not just his mission anymore, it's ours. It is our home under attack." Felicity said.

"For all we know, Oliver could be dead and Sara certainly is. But there are people that are still alive. People who need us." Laurel said as Dig nodded.

"Ok. First we have to find out where those Aldermen are." Dig said.

"How do we do that?" Roy asked as Naruto looked at the computer set up.

"Do you mind?" Naruto asked as Felicity nodded. Naruto sat in the chair and began opening and reading every single file possible on the two Aldermen that were taken. To Dig and everyone else it looked like Naruto was opening and closing files every second but Naruto was reading every single piece of information, trying to find a lead.

"How is he doing that?" Laurel asked.

"Naruto's a speedster." Felicity said as Laurel looked at him. "You know, the mysterious blurs in Central City. The Flash and Impulse. His mind works faster than a super computer. What takes us days, can take him hours." Felicity said as Naruto kept moving through all the information when he stopped on an old medical file on one of the Alderman.

"Got it. One of the Alderman has a pacemaker. It requires a recharge and it's remote programable." Naruto said as he got up and Felicity took his place.

"I can lock onto the pacemaker's GPS, it'll take a few minutes." Felicity said as she got to work.

"Gear up." Roy said as he and Laurel put on their suits.

Roy put on his gear and loaded his quiver with arrows while Laurel put on her Black Canary suit and wig. She decided not to use the bo staff and instead chose a tonfa stick. She put it around her waist and grabbed her sonic scream device.

"What is this?" Naruto asked as Laurel handed it to him.

"My sister's sonic scream device. It's pretty handy." Laurel said as Naruto looked it over.

"I bet. But I think this thing could do with an upgrade." Naruto said as he handed it back to her.

"I got it. They're at an abandoned custom's warehouse." Felicity said as Naruto walked over and got the address.

"Got it." Naruto said as he opened his bag in a blur of orange and white lightning, was dressed.

"Whoa." Laurel said.

"Still not use to that." Dig said as Naruto loaded the address to his goggles.

"Naruto, I've opened up a link to your goggles. Everything you see, we see." Felicity said as Naruto nodded.

"Roger that." Naruto said as he grabbed Laurel and Roy. "All right, hold on and don't puke."

Naruto super sped through the city, carrying Roy and Laurel until they arrived inside the warehouse on the third floor. Roy and Laurel staggered a bit from the sudden movement as it made them feel nauseous but it quickly passed. "Breathe through the nose." Impulse told them as he switched his goggles to thermal mode.

" _Ok, guys. From Impulse's goggles, there are 15 bad guys in the warehouse, Brick include. The Aldermen are located on the second floor in a storage room and based on the scans I'm getting, there's a bomb near them."_ Felicity told them over the comms.

" **Brick certainly didn't take any chances."** Arsenal said.

" _If I get a look at the device I can talk Impulse through deactivating it."_ Felicity said.

" _Just be careful. There are 14 guys in there armed with guns. It's going to be close quarters in there."_ Dig said.

"Don't worry about the guns. I can handle that." Impulse said.

" **Let's go."** Black Canary said as they moved to the second floor. Canary kicked a thug down the stairs and followed it up by slamming him in the head with her tonfa as Arsenal and Impulse jumped over the staircase railing. Impulse blocked and parried a punch from a thug and punched him in the gut in response. He then kicked him away as Canary then hit him over the head. Arsenal smacked another bad guy with his bow as Impulse grabbed the thug's arm, threw him over his shoulder and knocked him out with a punch to the face.

Arsenal kicked a bad guy to Impulse who grabbed him and threw him into a wall and punched him across the face. He then grabbed a baseball bat that a thug tried to hit him with, disarmed him and hit him in the gut and then across the head, knocking him out. Canary tackled one of the goons, but he threw her up against wall and punched her across the face so Impulse tackled him through the adjacent crumbling wall and knocked him out with a right cross. He got up and moved into the room as he dodged a punch from another thug and slammed him into a shelf. The thug kept trying to punch him but Impulse kept dodging, grabbed the guy's arm, kneed him in the gut and smashed his face into the ground.

Arsenal took out another two guys as Black Canary took out her one when three more guys showed up with guns and fired at them, but Impulse grabbed the bullets out of the air, saving them. He then charged forward and speed tackled the three, sending them flying across the room. Arsenal and Black Canary looked at Impulse who smirked as he opened his hands, dropping twenty _9mm_ bullets to the ground.

" **You should come here more often."** Arsenal said as they kept moving.

" _Follow the hallway 20 yards. Turn left."_ Felicity told them as they saw a goon watching over the two Aldermen who were tied up in chairs with a C4 bomb strapped to the chairs.

" **Aldermen!"** Black Canary shouted as she knocked out the goon with a swing of her tonfa. **"It's ok, we're gonna get you out of here."**

" _I see the bomb. It's a pretty rudimentary design_." Felicity said as she looked up the schematics. _"Disconnect the blue and red wires from the timer. That'll render the bomb useless."_

Impulse pulled the two wires and the bomb shut off, now completely useless. **"Let's go."** Arsenal said as he led them out of the room.

Brick arrived and fired his pistol at them, cutting off Black Canary from the others. **"Go, get them out."** Black Canary said.

"Canary, head to the south side window, I'll pick you up there!" Impulse told her as she nodded and ran to the side as Impulse grabbed the two Aldermen and raced them out of there and to the SCPD. He raced back to grab Arsenal and brought him back to the bunker and then raced back to the warehouse. He saw Black Canary jump out a window so Impulse ran up the side of the building, grabbed her mid-fall and raced back to the bunker, leaving Brick confused and with no Aldermen to use as leverage.

At the SCPD, Captain Lance walked out into the alley because he got a call from Felicity who wanted to talk about the Brick situation. He stepped out and waited, looking for the guy in red or Sara.

"Dad?" Lance heard as he turned to see Sara standing at the top of a stairwell with a light directly behind her so he could only see her silhouette. Which was a good thing because it wasn't Sara but Laurel.

"Sara. Oh, it's good to see you. Why didn't you call me or visit sooner, honey?" Lance asked.

"Things have been complicated. But I don't want you to worry about me. I'm fine. And I'm here to help." Laurel told him, her voice disguised to sound like Sara's.

"Both Alderman are safe with their families. Nice job. For all the good it did." Lance said.

"What does that mean?" Laurel asked.

"Mayor Castle caved. She's pulling SCPD out of the Glades." Lance told her.

"But why? Brick doesn't have the Aldermen anymore." Laurel said.

"No, but what he does have is the home address of every city council member and their family, and the means to hurt them. Played that card fifteen minutes ago. From now on, all SCPD are ordered to stay out of the Glades and if we encounter any of Brick's men, we leave them be." Lance told her.

"What can I do to stop him?" Laurel asked.

"If you grab all the information that Brick has on the city leadership and you manage to take him down, it might make Mayor Castle think it's enough for us to move back in." Lance said as he could see Sara nod and turn to leave. "Wait, sweetheart. How about we, uh, cry over each other's shoulders? Over dinner, at the Chinese place you love."

"I can't. I'm sorry." Laurel said as she turned to leave.

"What's going on, sweetheart? Why are you trying to avoid me?" Lance asked.

"I'll explain everything. Just…not tonight." Laurel said as she left.

Laurel made her way back to the bunker and told everyone the news. The SCPD were out of the Glades and they were on their own until they could take down Brick.

"Well, it's us against an entire criminal organization. We've had better odds." Felicity said.

"Until we can take out Brick, my father and the SCPD won't lift a finger to help." Laurel said as she took a deep breath.

"Hey, you ok?" Naruto asked, seeing her shaken.

"I'm fine. Thanks" Laurel replied with a smile.

"We keep fighting and we'll figure out a way to take down Brick. It's what Oliver would do." Dig said.

"Besides, you got a speedster on your side. Evens the odds a little bit." Naruto said as they smiled.

Line Break xxxxx

It had been three days since the SCPD had pulled out of the Glades leaving the citizens of the area under the control and torment of Brick and his army of gang members and goons. With Naruto, Dig and the others were able to keep the area safe and they kept taking out and tying up Brick's men but the police would just let them go until Brick was arrested. And Naruto ran all over the Glades twice to try and find him and he must have gone into hiding or someplace Naruto couldn't find. But he and Team Arrow did their best to keep the Glades safe and beat the crap out of all of Brick's men they came across.

At a local diner, the TV was playing the local news which was currently displaying a table debate about Mayor Castle's recent actions to pull the police out of the Glades and conceding control to Brick.

" _The Glades have been without a police presence for three days now and the situation there is only getting worse." "Daniel Brickwell threatened every member of local government. What else was Mayor Castle supposed to do?" "This is worse than negotiating with terrorists."_ **[SMASH]** The TV was destroyed by a baseball bat from one of Brick's goon who was at the diner to collect taxes. Everyone in the diner got behind the bar and cowered together.

"Tax time. Brick wants his cut. Now give me all the cash in the register…or I'll make your head look like that TV." He said as he slammed the bat onto the bar.

" **I have another idea."** Arsenal said as he stepped into the diner.

"Looks like we got ourselves a real live superhero here. You that red steak I've been hearing about on TV?" He asked.

" **Wrong city."** Arsenal said he ducked and spun to avoid the baseball bat and got behind him. He blocked the bat with his bow when another goon got up behind him and placed a shotgun at his head.

"Either way, I bet Brick will pay us a finder's fee. Make the call." He said as the other guy pulled out a walkie talkie.

" **Guns down!"** They heard as Black Canary entered the diner. She smacked the shotgun out of the guns hands and slammed him in the face with her tonfa while Arsenal knocked back his opponent. He quickly took him out with a bow swing to the head as Black Canary took out her guy when she slammed his head onto the bar.

" **Grant must be some teacher."** Arsenal said causing her to smile. He then placed his finger to his hear. **"Diner at 10** **th** **, clear."**

Felicity and Diggle were at the bunker, hearing the incoming calls the citizens of the Glades made to the police for help only for nothing to happen. "Diner's taken care of. Why are these people calling 911? Don't they know the police have pulled out of the Glades?" Felicity asked.

"Because they're desperate and scared." Dig said as he saw another crime show up on the computer. "Break in at 15th and 8th."

" _On it."_ Impulse said over his comms as he super sped through the city to the address, grabbed the burglar and tied him up at a lamp post. _"Done. Give me another."_

"There's a string of robberies along Jim Lee Boulevard." Felicity told him.

" _On my way."_ Impulse said as he super sped away

"Roy, Laurel, multiple reports of looting at Western and Oxnard." Dig told them.

" **Got it. On our way."** Arsenal said as he and Laurel threw the goons through the diner windows before leaving via Roy's motorcycle. Captain Lance was in his office at the SCPD, listening to all the calls coming in and couldn't take it so he called Felicity.

"It's Lance." Felicity said.

"Good, maybe he's got some good news." Dig said.

"Captain Lance?" Felicity asked.

" _You guys have been busy."_ Lance said.

"Just trying to keep things together. The good it does since these guys go free and we haven't been able to find Brick in hiding." Felicity said.

" _How can I help?"_ Lance asked.

"Can you? I mean, I thought the Mayor was pretty specific about Blues staying out of the Glades." Felicity said.

" _It doesn't mean I can't help out the Hood squad off the books_." Lance said.

"We call ourselves Team Arrow. Well, actually, that's just me." Felicity said.

" _I just got everything we have on Brick from evidence lockup."_ Lance said, looking over the file.

"Ok, I'll send Arsenal over once the next brushfire's put out." Felicity told him.

" _Arsenal? What, are you guys just pulling names out of a hat now?"_ Lance asked.

"Felicity, you might want to wrap it up. We just got three more calls." Dig said.

"Talk soon, Captain." Felicity said as she hung up. Lance sat at his desk as he heard a call about a man in red, a woman in black leather, and even an orange blur rushing through the city. After hours of taking out bad guys and keeping people safe, things were finally quiet enough that Felicity sent Roy to pick up the file from Lance. The team was resting in the bunker after the long night as Naruto was stitching a new wound Laurel got on her arm.

Laurel sat in a chair as Naruto made another incision with the needle and thread as Laurel tightened her fist. "Easy. Last one." Naruto said as he finished the stitching and tied it close.

"You're a lot better at this then Roy." Laurel said as Naruto put a bandage on it.

"Takes a certain hand to do this right." Naruto said as he finished up and put the medical equipment away.

"Where did you learn to stitch?" Roy asked.

"Tsunade, the woman who runs the group home I live at was a doctor. When the kids got hurt, she had me help and she taught me how to stitch should something happen if she wasn't there." Naruto said as he put the first-aid kit away and grabbed a high-calorie energy bar.

"Super-fast superhero, scientist and an amateur doctor. What can't you do?" Felicity asked.

"I can't sing. Trust me, it's not pretty." Naruto said as that managed to crack a small chuckle. "Although after the past few days, that would seem like a welcome challenge."

"Thanks again for sticking around, Naruto." Dig said as Naruto nodded.

"More than happy to help. But the fat load of good it does. I can run around this city and tie up every bad guy I see. It still won't do any good until Brick is dealt with." Naruto said.

"My father give us anything to use to locate Brick?" Laurel asked as Dig and Felicity sighed in exhaustion.

"I don't see how. Some of this stuff goes back decades." Dig said.

"There is plenty of evidence against Brick, but there's nothing the police can make stick." Felicity said as she rubbed her eyes.

"The modern justice system at work." Naruto said.

"So, this is what Brick has reduced us to—grasping for straws." Laurel said as Felicity walked over to her computer. "I don't know how you guys have done this for so long."

"We had Oliver. He had experience with this kind of thing." Roy said as Dig walked over to Felicity.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Grasping at straws, I'm pretty sure but maybe there's something in Bricks' M.O. that would suggest a couple doors for us to kick down. I mean, for you to kick down." Felicity said as the computer beeped.

"What was that?" Laurel asked.

"Cross-reference with Alderman Ford's murder and the evidence your father gave us." Felicity said as she brought up the information that surprised them. "The same gun was used in a 20-year old shooting."

"The same gun? Either that's arrogance or stupidity." Roy said.

"With Brick it's a tossup." Naruto said.

"In this case, definitely stupidity. The victim from 20 years ago—" Felicity said as the data brought up the newspaper article on the murder of Rebecca Merlyn. "Rebecca Merlyn. Daniel Brickwell killed Malcolm Merlyn's wife."

"So, Brick killed Merlyn's wife. What does that have to do with anything?" Roy asked.

"It is just another reason for them to share bunk beds in hell, not that I generally believe in hell, but for them, I will make an exception." Felicity said.

"Maybe we should get Merlyn to solve our Brick problem for us." Dig said.

"That's pretty dark." Laurel replied.

"Laurel, if you don't think things are dark you haven't been paying attention." Dig said.

"I though was Merlyn was dead after the earthquake nearly three years ago?" Naruto asked as the four looked at him.

"Right, Naruto doesn't know. Long story short, Merlyn faked his death and has been alive this whole time." Felicity said.

"If he's been alive, why come back to Starling City? Especially if he wants the world to think he's dead, I'm pretty sure being in the city he nearly destroyed isn't a good idea." Naruto said.

"And it's not, but he came here for one reason. Thea." Roy said as Naruto looked at him. "It turns out Merlyn is Thea's biological father."

"Whoa, wasn't expecting that." Naruto said.

"Merlyn organized a whole conspiracy that sent Oliver to fight Ra's Al Ghul and he's the reason he's dead." Felicity said, her voice trembled a bit.

"Right. If I ever see this guy, I'll punch him in the face or super speed him into a nearby volcano." Naruto said.

"Probably be doing the world a favor with that." Dig said.

"Even if we did sick Malcolm Merlyn on Brick, which I'm not saying we do, it won't do us any good. We've been trying for three days to find Brick and we've come up empty. I've searched the entire city three times and unless there are secret bunkers I don't know about, Brick's gone MIA." Naruto said.

"Naruto's right. Brick's men have been busy. They're cutting down cell towers and disconnecting traffic cams and staying out of satellite line of sight, like basically every way I know how to find somebody." Felicity said.

"Brick's here in the Glades. He has to be. He wouldn't have gone through all of this just to leave, he'll want to be right in the middle of it." Dig said.

"If the cell towers are down, how's Brick's crew communicating?" Roy asked as Laurel remembered something.

"At the diner, his men they were using—" "They were using walkies." Roy said as he remembered as well.

Felicity walked over to the computer as Laurel joined her. "Do you think that you could, I don't know—use those signals to locate Brick?" Laurel asked.

"You haven't been down here that much." Felicity said as she began running calculations. "If they're communicating via radio, they'll be on the FRS, somewhere between 462 and 467 megahertz. If I send out a frequency burst, I should be able to triangulate their location."

"I did not understand one word you said but Oliver was certainly lucky to have you." Laurel told her as Felicity's calculations brought up the location.

"114 Grandview plaza." Dig said.

"Felicity, that's the Glade's precinct." Laurel said.

"Well, it's not like the police are using it." Roy said.

"I checked that place and I didn't see Brick at all." Naruto said as Felicity did a little digging.

"And I think I know why." Felicity said as she brought up a geographic view of the precinct and old newspapers articles from the 20's. "Back during prohibition, the Glades precinct use to be a famous bar and had a secret tunnel that led to a hotel a few blocks away. During the 50's the bar was then turned into the precinct."

"I guess Brick must have found the tunnel." Dig said.

"Let's gear up." Roy said as he, Laurel, and Naruto got changed.

At the precinct, Brick ordered his men to gather up all the evidence from the evidence room, so they could use to free more men and to get rid of existing charges and raid the armory. Brick was sitting in his office near the secret tunnel, talking to the two goons who messed up getting the money from the diner.

"So, why don't you explain it to me, boys?" Brick asked.

"They got the drop on us, boss." He said.

"No, I mean where you had the red one in front of your shotgun and he's still not dead. And that lost of revenue is costing me money." Brick said as he slammed his pistol onto the table. "And it wasn't even this blur I've been hearing about. It was those two stupid idiots in red and black. Should have been easy kills."

Brick adjusting his tie and put the pistol on the table. "Now you know the deal, boys. You take me down first, you walk out alive." Brick told them as the two men looked at each other.

One reached for the gun, but Brick got to it first and shot him in the heart. Brick then aimed his gun at the other guy's head when the power went out. Felicity managed to cut the power to the building and was going to give Arsenal, Black Canary, and Impulse help and a bird's eye view.

" _Ok, the powers out."_ Felicity said.

" _There's ventilation shaft 40 feet north of your current position. It should drop you off in the east wing. There are only two sentries there now."_ Dig told them.

" **Got it."** Arsenal said as he and Black Canary entered through there.

Impulse watched from the across the street as he switched to thermal and saw half of Brick's men begin doing patrols while the other were moving boxes and guns. "Felicity, I see a lot of Brick's men moving boxes from the first-floor west area." Impulse told her.

" _Checking. That would be evidence lock up room. It looks like Brick is trying to get rid of more evidence to free more men."_ Felicity said.

" _Naruto, you've got to get that evidence and bring it back here. The more we save, the harder we make it on Brick."_ Dig told him.

"On it." Impulse said as he super sped into the building and shoulder tackled one goon away from the evidence room and slammed him into a wall. The rest of Brick's men saw him and opened fire, but Impulse super sped out of the way, avoiding the hail of bullets. He super sped back and swiped all their weapons. He ran by again and knocked them all out. He began taking boxes of evidence out of the police station and running it back to the bunker two at a time. In the span of about a minute, he delivered about 30 boxes of evidence to the bunker.

" _Naruto, we lost contact with Roy and Laurel!"_ Dig said as Naruto switched to thermal and saw Roy and Laurel on the ground a fire spreading on the floor above him.

"I see them!" Impulse shouted as he super sped upstairs and saw Brick fire his pistol at Black Canary, so he ran forward and caught the bullet.

"What the hell?" Brick asked as he saw Impulse appear in a blur.

"Arsenal, phosphorus arrow!" Impulse shouted as Arsenal pulled out the white phosphorus arrow Naruto made and launched it at the wall, unleashing a huge puff of white smoke and fire. This distracted Brick which allowed Impulse to grab him and Black Canary and get out of the precinct before it burned to the ground.

Impulse ran them back to the bunker as they appeared in a whoosh of air by Dig and Felicity. "You guys ok?" Dig asked.

"Yeah, little crispy but nothing serious." Roy said as he took off his mask and hood.

"Brick got away." Laurel said.

"But we've stopped him from getting rid of more evidence and we can track him again using the radio frequency. And he's probably not going to be at the police precinct since it's up in flames." Naruto said as they looked at him. "I'm a glass half full kind of guy."

"Naruto's right. Next time we'll get him." Dig said as Laurel and Roy got out of their suits.

"And we've stopped him from ruining cases for dozens of other people locked up in Iron Heights. Brick won't be getting anymore help." Felicity said as Naruto walked over to the computer.

"I'll run them over to the DA's office later." Naruto said.

"Good. We've finally got the leg up on Brick after days of being a step behind him." Laurel said.

"Although there is some bad news. Brick must have wised up because I can't track the radio signal from their walkie talkies. He must have ditched them and is getting news ones to replace the old." Felicity said as they all exhaled.

"Great. Now we need to find him again and take down his army of bad guys." Roy said.

"Perhaps I could be of assistance." They heard as Naruto quickly turned, super sped forward, grabbed the person who spoke and rammed him against the wall.

"Who are you?!" Naruto shouted as the others looked and saw Naruto had slammed Malcolm Merlyn against the wall before they could even blink.

"Merlyn, what the hell are you doing here?" Dig asked as Merlyn looked at them and at the man who rammed him against the wall before he could blink.

"Here to talk. Would you mind telling your friend to let me go?" Merlyn said as Naruto didn't ease up his grip.

"Why should we?" Roy asked.

"Because I came to discuss a mutual inconvenience you've been dealing with and who almost got the upper hand on you tonight." Merlyn said as Dig looked at the others.

"Let him go." Dig said as Naruto let go of Merlyn. Merlyn cleared his throat and fixed his tie.

"You must be one of the Central City speedsters I've seen on the news." Merlyn said as Naruto then speed punched him across the face. Merlyn stumbled back and spit out some blood.

"That was for Oliver." Naruto said as he walked back to the others.

"Somebody please tell me how this is happening again." Felicity said, not happy to see Merlyn in their hideout.

"Daniel Brickwell. It seems we have a common interest." Merlyn said.

"You know that Brickwell killed your wife." Laurel said.

"Her name was Rebecca. Since my death, maintaining my usual network of associates has become…heh…shall we say problematic, but the fact that you were able to locate Mr. Brickwell even though he has gone to ground demonstrates your groups' capacity." Merlyn said.

"You were following us. We led you right to him." Roy said.

"What do you want? If we led you right to him then you have everything you need except you came here instead." Naruto said.

"It would seem your new friend is very observant. While I'm more skilled than all of you combined, I'm smart enough to realize that there is strength in numbers." Merlyn told them.

"You want us to team up with you?" Felicity asked, shocked at what she was hearing.

"I guess the question before you is whether your scorn for me outweighs your need to see Mr. Brickwell dealt with." Merlyn said.

"You mean killed." Laurel said.

"You have your options. Weigh them. I'll be back in 24 hours." Merlyn said as he left.

"I don't like him." Naruto said.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and Team Arrow got some sleep and weighed their options in dealing with Brick and if they should take up Merlyn on his offer. Merlyn would be back by the end of the day and they had that amount of time to consider the offer and find a way to take down Brick. Felicity was dead set on not working with him, especially since he's the reason Oliver is dead while everyone else was still deciding. Roy left to see Thea while everyone else was in the bunker. Naruto was sitting at a table with some tools, working on something while Laurel, Felicity, and Diggle continued their long debate on Merlyn.

"How can you even be arguing for this right now?" Felicity asked Laurel.

"Because I am actually paying attention. Brick has the Glades under siege and despite Naruto's help, we aren't winning. No offense, Naruto." Laurel said as they looked at Naruto working on something.

"None taken." Naruto said as he picked up a screwdriver and began tightening a bolt.

"He has the police running scared, he has us outnumbered and outgunned, and I'm not saying let's give Malcolm a glass case of his own. All I'm saying is let's use him the same way he wants to use us." Laurel said.

"To point him like a loaded gun at Brick." Dig said.

"Exactly." Laurel replied.

"Well, A, I'm not ok with that, and B, even if I was there has to be a better way to go about doing it than to get in bed with Malcolm Merlyn." Felicity said.

"There isn't." Roy said as he walked in. "Oliver is gone and there's only so much the five of us can do. I just found this out but the night of the siege, Malcolm saved Thea's life. He didn't have an ulterior motive, he didn't have an agenda. He just wanted to protect what he cared about. He cares about this city. He just went about it in a completely unimaginable way. So just like Thea did the night of the siege, we need him."

"I can't think of a world or a universe or a plane of existence where Oliver would agree to any of this." Felicity said.

"Well, Oliver isn't here anymore so we need to stop pretending like he is." Roy told her. "We need to make decisions on our own. I genuinely have no idea how else we're supposed to stop Brick."

"And I genuinely don't know how we live with ourselves if we go about doing it this way!" Felicity replied.

"So, what do we do? Do we vote?" Roy asked.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good work." Naruto said as he worked on what he was doing as the others looked at him. "Oh, sorry. Just kind of said what's in my head."

"Naruto, care to weigh in here?" Dig asked.

"I'm just the visitor here." Naruto replied.

"Please, Naruto. We're just going back and forth; any new kind of perspective would be nice." Dig said as Naruto put his tools down and turned to face the others.

"All right. Back when we were facing Harkness, Oliver told me that this kind of work is messy. That there are people in the world who only deal in extremes and only extreme methods will stop them and I accept that it might be necessary." Naruto said, remembering when they fought Captain Boomerang. "Having said that, I still think trusting Merlyn is a bad idea."

"But didn't you say that we might need extreme measure to fight back?" Roy asked.

"I did and maybe we might. But I don't think Merlyn is that measure. Look, I don't have the background with him like you guys do and I don't know him personally but from what I've seen, he's someone you don't trust. He lost someone he loves, and I understand that grief but that doesn't justify the murder of 503 innocent people and the destruction of part of an entire city. Not to mention, he's the whole reason that Oliver is dead so what do you think happens if we trust him. I know that you only want to use him to deal with Brick but saying yes to him essentially gives Merlyn a reason and excuse to come back. You'll never be rid of him." Naruto told them from his point of view.

"I for one don't want to spend another minute with Malcolm Merlyn than I need to." Felicity said.

"The biggest thing is trust. Can you all say, right now, that you trust Malcolm Merlyn even for a second?" Naruto asked as they all couldn't say yes to that.

"I'll be right back." Dig said as he left to talk to Merlyn.

Dig walked out of the bunker and into the alley besides Verdant where he waited for Merlyn to show up.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" Merlyn asked as he stepped into the alley.

"It has. Guilty." Dig told him.

"I guess that means no then." Merlyn said.

"You were expecting something different, Merlyn?" Dig asked.

"What, that'd you'd have some measure of common sense? Yes." Merlyn said.

"You really thought we'd throw in with you? After what you did to Thea, to Sara, to Oliver?" Dig asked.

"To save your precious city, yes." Merlyn replied.

"Well, that's the thing. Once we let the ends justify the means, that's just the first step." Dig said as he walked away.

"Towards what?" Merlyn asked.

"Becoming you." Dig said as he left and walked back into the bunker.

"How'd Merlyn take it?" Laurel asked.

"I think he just felt inconvenienced." Dig said.

"We made the right choice, right, by refusing Merlyn's help?" Laurel asked.

"I don't know if we made the right choice, Laurel but we definitely did the right thing." Dig said as he looked around and didn't see Naruto. "Where's Naruto?"

"He had to head to STAR Labs really quickly to pick up a few things." Felicity said as whoosh of air brushed past them and they saw Naruto appear carrying two cases. "And there he is."

"Sorry I'm late. Had to get some things from STAR labs and I talked to Dr. Wells about our problem with Brick and he managed to find a solution." Naruto said as he handed Felicity a thumb drive.

"What's that?" Dig asked.

"Dr. Wells managed to work out a program and algorithm that can track hard to find radio transmissions using FRS. Since those frequencies aren't used as much as they used to be, the program can use our previous search to narrow down likely frequencies that Brick will be using." Naruto said as Felicity plugged in the program and it got to work on tracking down Brick.

"Nicely done." Laurel said as they now had a way to track down Brick. The program kept running when it managed to isolate the frequency Brick was using and was now tracking his location to an old abandoned hotel in the Glades.

"We got him." Felicity said.

"We have him but now we need an army to take him and his thugs down." Roy said.

"You've got me. Even the odds a bit in your favor. And we've got Dig as well. We don't need Merlyn. He's not the only person who's willing to fight." Naruto said as Laurel got an idea.

"Naruto's right. We need some extra support out there but Merlyn's not the only person in town." Laurel said.

"Who else is there?" Dig asked.

"I can think of a few people." Laurel said as Dig nodded.

"Let's do it. It ends tonight. An all-out assault on Brick." Dig said as they nodded. Laurel and Roy left to get some friends to help while Dig walked over to get a balaclava mask.

"You won't be needing that Dig. I got you something better." Naruto said as he handed him a case.

"What's this?" Dig asked.

"Well, Lyla did say to make you something to keep you safe out there not to mention keep your identity a secret. This is it." Naruto said as he opened the care to reveal and black and grey colored metal helmet with a t-shaped visor. "Polycarbonate tubing helmet with accompanied laments and polymers, custom made along with a retractable visor that comes with a variety of enhanced vision modes." **(2)**

"Naruto, this is incredible. When did you have the time to design something like this?" Felicity asked as Dig picked it up and looked it over.

"It's been a lackluster month since the holidays. I spent that time building and making some new toys I think you guys will like. How's it feel, Dig?" Naruto asked as Dig put it on and strapped it tight as the visor came up.

"Amazing." Dig said as Naruto smiled.

"And that thing is bulletproof, so you won't need to worry about gunfire." Naruto said as Dig smiled.

"You outdid yourself, Naruto." Dig said.

"Happy to help." Naruto said as he suited up.

Roy and Laurel returned to the bunker an hour later and got suited up. Roy filled up his quiver with arrows as Laurel put on her suit and strapped her tonfa around her waist. She was about to grab her sonic device when Naruto walked forward with the other case.

"When I said you could do with an upgrade, I think this one will do nicely." Naruto said as he opened the case to reveal a high-tech device that looked like a choker or a collar with a canary symbol in the center. **(3)**

"Oh my god." Laurel said as she picked it up.

"It reads your own vocal emissions and reprocesses it via a digital output into a multi-channel with quadruple the range and triple the resonance. When you scream, everyone better have good ear plugs because you will knock them down." Naruto said as she was amazed.

"I can't believe you were able to make this so quickly." Laurel said.

"I've been known to work fast. And it's calibrated it to your own biometrics so no one else can use it." Naruto said as he took it. "May I?"

Laurel nodded as she moved her hair, so Naruto could put it around her neck and secure it in place against her throat. "Just scream and this thing will unleash hell. It's so powerful that it produces physical distortions of sound waves in the air. Every Canary needs a cry." Naruto told her as she liked it.

"It's amazing, Naruto." Laurel said as adjusted the collar.

"And to make sure you guys don't loose your hearing, I've made these special ear plugs that'll protect you from the intense sound." Naruto said as he handed Laurel, Roy, Dig, and Felicity the ear plugs.

"All right, we stop Brick tonight." Dig said as they left the bunker.

Brick and two of his guards were leaving the abandoned hotel they were staying at, ready to go on a drive when two arrows destroyed the headlights, and another hit a tire, deflating it. Brick looked and saw Arsenal, Black Canary, and a new guy standing in the street.

"Looks like you kids got yourself a babysitter to take you trick-or-treating. Well, look at that. Didn't anybody tell you Halloween was three months ago?" Brick asked.

" **Daniel Brickwell! -You have failed this city!"** Black Canary and Arsenal shouted **.**

"And you seem to have failed in your maths. Can't you see there's a lot more of us than there is of you?" Brick asked as 200 of his men joined him all armed with guns.

"Guess again, Brickhead!" Sin shouted as she and 100 denizens of the Glades joined Arsenal, Black Canary, and Dig all armed with pipes, bats, and other weapons. One person dressed in a black jacket, mask and armed with brass knuckles walked up beside Black Canary and she smiled.

"Is this little parade supposed to mean something? Or have you forgotten that I've got all the firepower! Kill them all!" Brick shouted as his men raised their guns but before they could fire a shot, an orange and white blur raced by all of them and all their guns were gone. "What the hell is going on?!"

The blur raced by them as Impulse stopped next to Dig. "Sorry, I'm late. But I think that evened the odds a bit." He said as Dig nodded.

"Get em!" Brick shouted as his men charged forward while Arsenal and the others charged at them and the two clashed in the street. Impulse super sped forward, knocking back several of Brick's men with ease as he jumped and punched a thug in the face, knocking him into a car. He ducked under a baseball bat and spin kicked the bad guy in the face as he then moved his head to avoid a fist and slugged the gangbanger in the stomach with his fist, causing him to double over in pain. Impulse then began ducking and dodging punches and kicks from four gangbangers and with his speed, it was easy.

He grabbed the fist of one of the gangbangers and threw him over his shoulder and onto the ground as he then elbowed the second guy in the face. Impulse blocked and parried an attack from the third goon, grabbed his arm and threw him into the fourth. Impulse then quickly spin kicked the first goon in the face, knocking him out and then did a leg sweep of the third guy before knocking out the fourth with a right cross to the face. He then grabbed the second guy and threw him onto the ground. Impulse kept fighting, engaging at least 6-8 of Brick's men with ease while Arsenal fought two a time. Black Canary fought against one of his men, using her tonfa stick to her advantage as Dig went through the bad guys with ease thanks to his extensive training with Oliver.

Brick knocked out another of the Glade's civilians who attacked him as he saw a new masked vigilante step up. "And which costume are you supposed to be?" Brick asked.

"Wildcat." Wildcat said threw out a punch that Brick blocked but punched him in the gut with his other and followed that up with a punch to the face. Brick threw out a punch which Wildcat blocked and retaliated with four punches to the face, a punch to the chest, a knee to the stomach and a final elbow across the face as Brick was knocked back, his face bleeding from the assault but still on his feet.

"Is that all you got?" Brick asked as he tackled Wildcat into a car and slugged him three times in the face. He tossed him to the ground and kicked him in the gut as Impulse ran up and punched Brick in the face, knocking him back. "You! You've been ruining my business!"

"Your business is over, Brick." Impulse as he ducked under a punch and responded with an uppercut that knocked Brick back. Impulse then kicked Brick in the gut as Brick threw out a punch which Impulse blocked and countered with an elbow to the face. Impulse then threw out three punches to Brick's chest, one more to his face as he then spun and covered Wildcat. "Canary, scream!"

Brick looked and saw Black Canary look at him before she opened her mouth and let loose a sonic scream. **"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"** She shouted as her Canary Cry produced physical sound wave ripples that caused everyone to cover their ears and knocked Brick into a wall. Black Canary stopped as she ducked to avoid a punch which gave Brick the opportunity to run. Arsenal shot an arrow, getting the guy off Black Canary as she ran to check on Wildcat. She pulled up his mask and saw he was beat up but would be fine.

" **You're gonna be fine."** She told him as she held him. Impulse got up and fought three more of Brick's men. Sin knocked out another Brick's men as she saw Black Canary, but it wasn't Sara and before she could do something, she fought off another of Brick's men.

Arsenal took out another two of Brick's men with his bow as Impulse knocked out three more of Brick's men when the familiar sound of an arrow hitting someone caused them to turn and see a guy who tried to sneak up on Black Canary got an arrow in the leg. And it was green colored one.

" **Oliver."** Black Canary said as Impulse and Arsenal smiled, glad that he was in fact alive.

"Arsenal, let's end this now!" Impulse shouted as he nodded. Arsenal pulled out four instant cement arrows from his quiver as Impulse began rounding up all of Brick's men they had dealt with and grouped them together. Once they were in groups of 15 or more, Arsenal fired an instant cement arrow near them, trapping them. They trapped most of Brick's men as Impulse took the rest and tied them up with rope and sat them on the street.

The fight with Brick was over as all his men were taken care of but Brick was missing. Then Brick was thrown into the street, his hands tied and an arrow in his leg as everyone looked to see the Arrow standing on the roof.

"Felicity, contact the SCPD. Brick's captured. It's over." Dig told her as she did and soon police officers began pouring in and even a police bus arrived to take away all of Brick's men. Dig and Arsenal made their way back to the bunker as Impulse took Wildcat to the hospital. He arrived back in the Glades and hung back in the alley where Laurel was as the denizens of the Glades gathered around to see the Arrow speak to everyone as the police took Brick into custody.

" **I've been gone, and I'm sorry. Sorry for what the city has had to endure in my absence. But you did endure it. And the evidence of that struggle is lying at my feet. You did not fail this city, and I promise I will not fail you by leaving it again."** Arrow said as he fired a grapple arrow and grappled away, leaving the police arrest all of Brick's men.

"He always knows how to make an entrance." Naruto said as Laurel smiled.

"That he does." Laurel replied. "Thanks for taking Ted to the hospital."

"Don't mention it. Well, I think the city is safe now with Brick in bars. I've got to head back. Stay safe, Laurel." Naruto said as they hugged.

"Thank you." She said as he smiled and hugged back.

"Your welcome. And if you need me, call and I'll be here before you can blink." Naruto joked as he super sped away.

Naruto arrived in the bunker, seeing Dig, Roy, and Felicity watching the news all relieved and happy that Oliver was alive. "Guess he is a tough guy to kill." Naruto said as they turned to see Naruto holding his bag. "And the city is safe from Brick after tonight and with Oliver back, you'll be in good hands."

"Heading back already?" Dig asked.

"Yeah. I've been away from Central City for too long." Naruto said.

"You sure you don't want to stick around? It's been fun having you here, and not just because you make our job about 100 times easier." Roy said as Naruto chuckled.

"He's right. Central City's got the Flash. I'm sure Impulse could stand to be in Starling City a little longer." Felicity said.

"And I'd love to but Central City's my home. Besides, I'm in the weeds with my girlfriend and I couldn't exactly tell her what I was doing here the past few days." Naruto said as they nodded.

"She doesn't know about you?" Dig asked.

"Not yet. But she will. And it's a conversation that's long overdue." Naruto said as Dig nodded and walked over.

"Thank you, Naruto. For everything." Dig said as they shook hands.

"It was my honor. Fighting metahumans is fun and all but it's nice to go back to basics every now and then." Naruto said as they chuckled.

"And you've got another option for crime fighting if fighting metahumans gets old." Dig said.

"He's right. You showed some serious skill out there." Roy said.

"Well, as you know, Oliver was a good teacher." Naruto said as he shook Roy's hand and hugged Felicity.

"Thanks for coming, Naruto. If you or Barry needs us, just call and we'll be there as fast as possible. Give it a day or so." Felicity said as Naruto chuckled.

"And if you guys need our help again, same thing. But we'll be here faster. And next time you see us, there will be more new toys to try out." Naruto said as he waved goodbye and walked out of the bunker into the alley as he saw Oliver walk up. "So, how was it coming back from the dead?"

"Something I wouldn't recommend." Oliver said as Naruto smiled.

"Glad to see you're alive and well." Naruto said as Oliver rubbed his chest and nodded.

"Alive, not so sure about the well part. I saw you fight, it seems you really picked up what I taught you." Oliver said.

"You're a good teacher." Naruto replied as he shook Oliver's hand.

"Thanks for helping everyone." Oliver said.

"More than happy to help. It was fun, but I think Starling is better with the Arrow back." Naruto said as the two bro-hugged. "And if you need help, or something comes up I'm just a call away."

"Likewise." Oliver said as Naruto gave him a two-finger salute and super sped away back to Central City.

Line Break xxxxx

After returning to Central City and telling the team how he helped stopped a gangster from controlling the city and that Oliver is back, things went back to into a regular routine. No new metahuman so Team Flash just dealt with the regular criminals like robbers and the like. He did hear that Snart and Rory were free after their prison transport was attacked and they were on the run, but Naruto and Barry would be ready if they came back. Regarding Linda, Naruto decided to tell her the truth about him being a metahuman, so he set up a dinner at Central City's fanciest restaurant and after dinner they'd go on a nice walk where Naruto would tell her who he really was. Naruto ate before the dinner, so he didn't need to order too much.

After a beautiful, elegant, and slightly expensive dinner, Naruto and Linda walked out of the restaurant with their bellies full of food and wine. "That was an amazing meal." Linda said as they walked out of the restaurant.

"Yes, it was. Although I think the company made it better." Naruto said as Linda smiled and gave him a kiss.

"Oh, flattery will not get you ahead, Naruto. Remember that." Linda said as he smirked.

"Really? Maybe I should try harder." Naruto said as he hugged her close and spun them around a bit, causing her to laugh.

"All right, so head back to my place?" Linda asked as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Actually, you want to walk around a bit?" Naruto asked as she nodded.

"Sure." She replied as they walked from the restaurant and began walking around the city. As they walked, Linda noticed that Naruto seemed to be preoccupied with something. "Naruto, is everything ok?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"You seem to be thinking about something pretty seriously." Linda said.

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Naruto said as he cleared his throat.

"You're not going to propose, are you? I'm flattered, but we've only been dating a few months. I'd like to wait a little longer before I tie the knot." Linda said as Naruto coughed.

"No, nothing like that. I'm not ready to get married, even to you." Naruto said as he realized what he said. "Not that I wouldn't love to be married to someone like you. You're amazing and you'd make an amazing wife, but I think it's way too early for something like that. Not that I've been thinking of that at all. No way. What's going on, where am I?"

Naruto nervous rambles caused Linda to laugh her butt off. He saw her laughing and nervously exhaled. "Oh, very funny. I think I nearly had a heart attack." Naruto said as Linda wiped a tear from her eye.

"Sorry but making you feel uncomfortable and ramble like that is too good to pass up." Linda said.

"Geez, only you can make me like this." Naruto said as they kept walking.

"It's my super power. Speaking of which, can you believe that we now have actual superheroes in the city. The Flash and Impulse. It's hard to believe that people like that exist, although it would explain a lot of the weird things that have been happening in the city." Linda said.

"You have no idea." Naruto said as they walked past an alley.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Linda asked.

"A lot, actually. The uh, things that have been going on recently after the holidays and my little trip I took a few days ago." Naruto said as Linda nodded.

"You're uh, little unexpected emergency." Linda said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, that. I was actually in Starling City helping some friends." Naruto said.

"Must be some friends if it was during the whole crisis with Brickwell." Linda said as Naruto nodded.

"Good friends. And actually, part of what I want to tell you." Naruto said.

"Oh, isn't that cute." They heard as they turned to see two guys dressed in hoodies and jeans and looked like they were up to no good. "You two out for a little walk."

"Coming from some place fancy, huh?" He said, looking at their clothes.

"Yeah, dinner." Naruto said as he got in front of Linda.

"Oh, dinner. Well, you see, my friends and I haven't eaten yet. Maybe you could give us a few bucks, so we could grab a meal?" He said as Naruto turned his head and saw three other guys walk out of the alley and surround him and Linda. "Or you could just hand over everything you've got to make it easier."

"Naruto." Linda said as Naruto put her arm in front of her, protecting her.

"Look guys, we don't want any trouble. Just let us leave and we'll forget this happened." Naruto said.

"Oh, sounds like someone is scared. Hard to believe someone like you got a piece of ass like her." One of the guys said as that pissed off Naruto. One thing he didn't like were men who had no respect for women.

"Ok, last warning. Let us leave before you do something you regret." Naruto warned him as Linda heard the seriousness in her voice.

"Oh, warning? Then here's my warning, give us everything you have and the bitch before you end up in the hospital." He said as he pulled out a switchblade and stepped forward to grab Linda, but Naruto grabbed his wrist tightly.

"Should have listened." Naruto said as he twisted the guy's wrist, breaking it and making him drop the knife.

Naruto then punched him across the face and kicked him away as he moved Linda to the side and spin kicked the two goons behind him. The fourth guy tackled Naruto, but Naruto kneed him in the gut and threw him to the ground as he stopped the knife from the fifth guy, kicked out his right leg and knocked him out with a punch to the face. The second and third guy charged at him as Naruto blocked their punches. Naruto parried and elbowed the third guy in the face before doing a leg a sweep and then another spin kick and knocked the second guy out as the fourth charged Naruto, but Naruto grabbed his arm, punched him across the face and then bashed his head against a trashcan.

He stopped when he heard a gun click and turned to see Linda being held by the first guy. He used his arm with the twisted wrist to hold Linda around the neck while he held a gun to her head with the other. "Let her go." Naruto told him.

"Back the hell up, freak. Now, give me everything you have, or this bitch gets a bullet in the head?" He said as Linda was freaking out.

"Naruto!" She screamed as the guy tightened his grip.

"It's ok, Linda. It's going to be ok." Naruto reassured her.

"Did you hear me?! Give me your wallet!" He shouted. Naruto tightened his fists as flickers of lightning began to course around his hands and in his eyes, reflecting his emotional state.

"Please, stop. Please, stop. Please, stop. Calm down." Linda said as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. The lights on the street lamps began to flicker on and off, the parked cars on the street followed suit and even the nearby buildings had their lights flickering.

"DO IT NOW OR I SHOOT!" The guy shouted as he pointed his gun at Naruto.

"NO!" Linda shouted as her hands exploded in a burst of white light and produced a small shockwave that knocked the guy away and into a parked car. He hit the ground, knocked out from the impact as Naruto looked and saw Linda's hands were glowing white. "No! No! No, not again!"

Linda began panicking as she tried to get it to stop, shaking her hands but the light wouldn't go away. "Linda!" Naruto shouted as Linda turned to him.

"Naruto, it's won't go away!" Linda shouted as the light got brighter, causing Naruto to close and shield his eyes from the light.

"It's ok, I'm here." Naruto said as he slowly walked forward. "Just calm down!"

"I can't!" She shouted as the light kept shining so bright that she had to close her eyes.

"Just listen to my voice. Focus on that. Nothing else." Naruto said as he slowly walked forward, holding one hand out to try and feel where he was going. "Just listen to my voice. It's going to be ok."

"Ok…ok." Linda said as she started to calm down a bit when she felt Naruto's hand grab her arm.

"It's ok, I'm here." Naruto said as the bright light began to dim. Naruto slowly opened his eyes and saw the white light lose its intensity before vanishing completely into Linda's hands. "It's ok."

Naruto held her close as she hugged him. Naruto looked around and saw the nearby lights were back to normal, guessing that whatever Linda was doing to them stopped. Linda broke away from the hug and looked at him. "I have something to tell you." She said as Naruto looked at her and smile.

Naruto super sped in front of Linda, tying up all of the muggers who attacked them near a lamp post and then reappeared in front of her when he finished. "So, do I." Naruto told her.

Naruto called the CCPD about their mugging as they left for STAR Labs. They took the elevator to the cortex and walked down the hall as Linda was amazed at what she was seeing. "This place is incredible. I can't believe it." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"Yup. STAR Labs has that effect on people." Naruto said as they walked down the hallway.

"And we can just walk in?" Linda asked.

"Well, my parents helped found and build this place, so it give me a little leeway. And the guy who does run it now is practically family." Naruto said as they entered the cortex and saw Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco waiting by the computers. "Along with some friends who act like family."

"Oh, love you too, Naruto." Cisco said as Caitlin walked forward and hugged Linda.

"It's good to see you again, Linda." She said as Linda smiled.

"You too, Caitlin. Cisco." Linda said as Cisco waved.

"Nice to see you again, Ms. Park. If Naruto brought you here, then I believe it's something that couldn't wait until morning?" Dr. Wells asked as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about that but this kind of seemed urgent and something that you should know now." Naruto said as Dr. Wells pressed a button on the computer, showing street camera footage of Naruto, Linda and the thugs that attacked them. It showed Naruto beating the snot out of them, Linda using her power to create a force wave of white light that then knocked out the camera.

"You're lucky that Ms. Park destroyed the nearby cameras, or we'd be having a different conversation now." Dr. Wells said.

"Right." Naruto nodded as Linda walked around the cortex and saw Naruto's Impulse suit.

"I can't believe it. The weird times you'd vanish, the excuses and what happened over the holidays, it's because of this." Linda said as Naruto walked over.

"Yeah. Linda, look, I was going to tell you tonight and I've wanted to tell you for a long time but this…this secret was something that I couldn't tell anyone. But I felt that now was the right time." Naruto said as Linda nodded.

"I know and I'm not angry. You're not the only one who was keeping a secret. But why am I here now?" Linda asked.

"Besides, telling you who…what I really am. I think we can help you control your powers." Naruto said.

"Stopping and controlling metahumans is what we do best." Cisco said.

"Metahumans?" Linda asked.

"People who were affected by the Particle Accelerator explosion two years ago. I was struck by lightning and put in a coma and when I woke up I could run fast. Same thing with the Flash. And the other strange and bizarre incidents that have been going on." Naruto said as he walked over to the computer and brought up images and files on the metahumans they've stopped. "Each of them were affected by the Particle Accelerator in some way, shape, or form and received powers."

"Unfortunately, none of them have been as altruistic or well intentioned like Naruto here." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, they've turned into straight supervillains." Cisco said.

"And we've stopped them to keep the city safe." Caitlin said.

"And if the Particle Accelerator affected you, we can help you control your powers should something bad happen." Naruto told her.

"How did you get your powers?" Caitlin asked.

"It was two years ago, before I transferred to Sports. I was working on a lead that someone sent into CCPN anonymously." Linda said.

"What was the story?" Naruto asked.

"The source said that two scientists were working on some kind of deadly experiment that needed to be stopped. They were scientists at Mercury labs before their experiment and lack of restraint got them fired but they were going to continue their work. The source said that they worked out of an old abandoned warehouse in the industrial sector, off the grid. To be honest, the whole story seemed kind of out there, but it was worth checking out." Linda said.

"Did the letter say who the scientists were?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Yeah, uh. Dr. Abner Croit and his assistant, Marcus Daniels." Linda said as Cisco looked them up.

"Got them. Dr. Abner Croit, PHD in theoretical physics, applied physics, medical physics, atomic physics, pretty much every kind of physics as well as optics. Worked at Mercury labs with his assistant Marcus Daniels who was a Hudson Graduate on the way to get his PHD in energy research." Cisco said.

"Was?" Naruto asked.

"Uh, Daniels was Croit's assistant at Mercury labs, in fact he studied under Croit when he did a residency at Hudson. But when Croit was forced to leave Mercury Labs, Daniels dropped out of school." Cisco told them. "And I think I know what they were working on that got Croit fired from Mercury Labs. Pretty much all of his papers and research in college were about the applications and research of Darkforce."

"Yeah, nothing bad happens when you research something called Darkforce." Caitlin said.

"What's Darkforce?" Linda asked.

"It's a form of cosmic radiation. Pure negative energy, unstable yet extremely powerful. Scientists have theorized for decades about the existence of this type of energy, thinking it's the key to understanding the universe." Naruto told her.

"It's also known as Zero Matter. It's been theorized that this type of energy can manipulate matter and change the grounding physics that bind all life. Of course, it's just been theory and speculation because no sane scientist would be able to replicate the requirements for creating Darkforce." Dr. Wells said. **(4)**

"Guess that didn't dissuade these two. Where are they now?" Naruto asked.

"They went off the grid after Croit was let go and never resurfaced." Cisco said.

"Until the source gave me the lead. I went to the warehouse and saw a lot of flashing lights in the windows but before I could sneak in, the Particle Accelerator went off. I ran when I was hit with a white light. I felt fine until the next morning when I accidently burned my pillow with the light coming from my hands. I was lucky I didn't burn down my apartment." Linda told them.

"Has anything like tonight happened before?" Caitlin asked as they walked over to the medical bed.

"No. I mean, sure my hands would light up every now and then, but it went away." Linda said.

"My theory is the stressful situation and emotional state caused Ms. Park's powers to manifest as they did." Dr. Wells said as Linda saw on the bed while Caitlin turned on the equipment.

"Now what?" Linda asked.

"Now, we research your ability and that will enable us to help you the best way that we can. Don't worry, Ms. Park, you're in good hands. We wouldn't let anything happen to you, especially since Naruto would seek retribution." Dr. Wells said as Naruto nodded.

"In the worst way possible." Naruto said as he walked over. "Don't worry, Linda. STAR Labs is the best. I'd trust Dr. Wells, Cisco, and Caitlin with my life."

"Ok. Besides, it's not like the Central City hospital has experts to deal with powers." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"That's why we're here." Naruto told her.

"So, how many other metahumans have you guys helped?" Linda asked as she saw them look at each other.

"Uh…we've only really helped just Naruto and the Flash. Most of the metas we've come across haven't been the friendly kind. There was one we tried to help but it didn't have a happy ending." Cisco told her.

"But don't worry. We're going to help you, Linda. We promise." Caitlin said as she began to do a quick medical diagnosis.

"So, this is what you guys do at STAR labs? Keep the city safe and help Naruto and the Flash take down metahumans?" Linda asked.

"Bad metahumans. But we still have our lives outside of what we do. Well, I still have a life outside of this." Naruto said, getting Linda to chuckle and Caitlin and Cisco to look at him.

"I'd threaten you with a scalpel except I have a patient here." Caitlin said as she took a sample of blood and left to do a scan. Cisco left as well, giving Naruto and Linda some time alone.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked as he sat down next to her.

"Like a stranger inside my own body. This is crazy." She said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, crazy kind of became the new normal for me ever since I woke up from my coma." Naruto told her.

"Did you ever think your life would be like this? Fighting supervillains and things like that?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled.

"To be honest, I can't really imagine a life where this doesn't happen on a regular basis." Naruto said as he saw how worried she was. "Linda, look, everything is going to be fine. Caitlin, Dr. Wells, and Cisco are going to help you with your powers and after that you can go about everything like nothing happened."

"I don't think I can. I mean, you saw what happened tonight." Linda told him.

"Yeah, you knocked out a guy who threatened to shoot you. One of the hottest things I've seen in our short time as boyfriend/girlfriend." Naruto said as Linda chuckled. "And I also saw you get control of your powers after it happened. These tests are just going to reaffirm what I already know."

"And what's that?" Linda asked.

"That Linda Park is the most badass, sassiest, sexy, strong-willed woman I know, and she controls her powers. Not the other way around." Naruto told her as she smiled.

"You always know what to say to make me feel better." She replied as Naruto smiled.

"It's my other superpower." Naruto replied as Linda leaned in and kissed him. It was a short kiss but passionate. "Does this mean you forgive me for not telling you sooner?"

"No, not yet." Linda said as Naruto kissed her again.

"How about now?" He asked as Linda thought for a moment.

"Hmm, getting there." She replied.

"This is torture." He said as he kissed her again.

"Excuse me." They heard as they stopped and saw Caitlin. "You two can do that on your own time."

"Yeah, kind of sucks to the single people in this room." Cisco said as they chuckled.

"Sorry, guys." Naruto apologized as he stood up.

"Well, I did a quick check up on Linda and from what I can see, there seems to be no negative side effects to her powers. She's 100% completely healthy, although you might want to take it easy on the sweets." Caitlin said as Linda nodded.

"What now?" Linda asked.

"Now, we all go home and get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll conduct some tests on Ms. Park's powers." Dr. Wells told them.

"Sounds like a good idea." Naruto said as he and Linda went back to her apartment to get some rest, unaware that a new deadly metahuman they would need to deal with.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Naruto woke up as the sun shined in his face through a window. Naruto adjusted his eyes and looked around as he saw he was in Linda's apartment. He looked down and saw a splotch of brown hair on his chest, causing him to smile. He ran his hand through Linda's hair as she stirred awake and looked up at him.

"Morning." She said as Naruto smiled.

"Morning." He replied as he leaned down to kiss her, and she kissed back. "How'd you sleep?"

"You mean the six hours of sleep after our amazing romp?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled. "The best sleep I've had in a long time. You've been holding out on me, haven't you?"

"Well, I couldn't show you everything because I hadn't told you about my powers." Naruto said as Linda kissed his bare chest.

"So, I'm guessing I can expect a repeat of last night?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled.

"Whenever you want." He replied as Linda kissed him.

"Good but not now. Not everyone has your stamina, speedy." Linda joked as she sat up, moving the blanket off her body.

"That's not sticking." Naruto said as Linda looked over her shoulder.

"I don't know. I kind of like it. Don't you?" She asked as she stood up and walked to the bathroom, giving Naruto a clear view of her rear.

"Uh…that's not fair. You know I'm not that strong willed." Naruto said as Linda shut the door to the bathroom.

Naruto checked his phone and saw it was around 7am so he super sped back to the shelter, took a quick shower, changed into clean jeans, a dark orange shirt, black button-up, and jacket and then super sped to Jitters to get some coffee. By the time Linda got out of the shower in her robe, she saw Naruto in the kitchen with two cups of coffee on the counter and the smell of bacon wafting in the room.

"Hope bacon and eggs are ok. It's basic, but I can do good basic." Naruto said as Linda walked over and took a piece of bacon and took a bite.

"And it's good basic. You continue to amaze me, Naruto Namikaze." Linda said as Naruto smiled.

"Well, stick around and if you can keep up, you'll get used to it." Naruto said as she took another bite of bacon.

"I'm not leaving anytime soon. I like a challenge. And like I told you before, I hate taking things slow." She said as they shared a kiss when Naruto's phone went off. He took it out of his pocket and saw it was CCPD.

"Hang on." Naruto said as he answered. "Yeah. Uh huh. Got it. I'll be right there."

"Police emergency?" Linda asked.

"Two dead bodies were found near a bar on Hover Avenue. Barry and I are needed at the scene." Naruto said as he put his phone away and took a bite of bacon.

"All right. You've got work and so do I. I've got that baseball piece to finish." Linda said as she took a sip of coffee.

"All right. Meet you at STAR Labs, later?" Naruto asked as she nodded.

"See you there, speedy." Linda said as Naruto grumbled. "You'll grow to love it."

"No, I won't." He said as he gave her quick kiss, grabbed his coffee and super sped to the CCPD.

Naruto arrived in Barry's lab in a whoosh of air and grabbed a suitcase of equipment as he then super sped to the crime scene. He stopped in a nearby alley with no camera coverage and joined the civilian foot traffic on the sidewalk as he walked to the crime scene. He walked down the street and saw the squad cars and yellow tape set up along with officers keeping curious pedestrians away. Naruto walked up as the officers told him to step back.

"CSI." Naruto said as he held up his intern badge and they let him through. Naruto walked into the crime scene and saw two dead bodies, both were face down in the dirt with Joe and Eddie over them. "Joe."

"Naruto, hey. Got two dead ones." Joe said as Naruto walked over.

"Where's Barry?" Eddie asked.

"He should be here in a sec. Barry's always been late since I've known him." Naruto said as Joe nodded.

"And since I've known him, which says a lot. Think you're ok with doing a preliminary report?" Joe asked as Naruto nodded.

"Sure thing." Naruto said as he put down his briefcase and opened it up. He put on a pair of gloves and began walking around the bodies, looking them over and as well as the crime scene.

"Two dead men, first vic is roughly 60 years of age. Second vic, maybe early 30s. No sign of a struggle and wallet, phones, and personal belongings were taken. Possibly a theft, thief might have killed them after he got what he needed." Joe said.

"Who called it in?" Naruto asked as he knelt down and checked the skin on the victims.

"A morning jogger on his run. He flagged down a patrol officer." Eddie said.

"We think this happened last night. No street cameras here and without any it's going to take some time to figure out what happened." Joe told him.

"Well, I can tell you that this did happen last night. The skin on each victim still has its tone so the murder happened within the last 12-16 hours. No defense wounds that I can see, no gun shot powder burns, knife wounds, and lack of blood here might indicate that something else killed them. Maybe a poison was used." Naruto said as he saw the outline of an extra pair of shoes. "And I think I found our third person. Men size 11 shoes."

"Not bad." Joe said as he wrote down what Naruto said.

"Did you go to CSI school like Barry?" Eddie asked as Naruto began making a mold of the shoe.

"Nope. Just a quick study. CSI work is hard, but nothing compared to physics." Naruto said as he saw Barry running. "Speak of the devil."

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late." Barry said.

"No problem. Just got started." Naruto said as he looked them over.

"All right. What do we got?" Barry asked as he put his case down and put on his gloves.

"Two dead men. No id and no visible sign of death. No blood splatter or other obvious signs of attack." Naruto said as Barry nodded as he turned over the younger victim and they saw he was a 30-year old Caucasian wearing casual clothes.

"You're right. No visible signs of attack. No signs of a struggle. He didn't know what was happening until it was too late." Barry said as he looked over the body and saw some stress fractures and impressions on the left wrist. "Hang on."

Barry lifted the wrist as Naruto knelt next to him and saw the stress fractures and impressions. "Stress fractures. Maybe his wrist was grabbed. No signs of electricity burns so it's not death by taser." Barry said as he turned the wrist and Naruto saw the faint glimmer.

"Wait." Naruto said as he turned the wrist and they saw the faint glimmer of oil on the victim's arm. The oil from a fingerprint.

"Fingerprint. Maybe by our attacker." Barry said as he grabbed some equipment and took a fingerprint copy off the body. "We'll run it through the system, maybe we'll get a match."

"Based on the lack of physical evidence, we'll need that." Naruto said as he turned over the other victim and recognized him from last night. "Wait a minute, I know this guy."

"You do?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, uh…Dr. Abner Croit. Former employee of Mercury Labs." Naruto said as Barry looked over for any kind of evidence.

"How did you know that?" Barry asked.

"A long story, I'll explain later when we're in private company." Naruto said as Barry nodded as they had the coroner come over and bag the bodies.

They went back to the CCPD and sifted through the evidence in Barry's lab to figure out what happened, but they got nothing. The shoe print was too common to narrow down and the fingerprint wasn't in the system. They kept working on stuff when Joe walked in.

"Hey, guys. We've got ids on our two victims. Younger one is Alexander Reynolds. Engineer at Mercury labs. The older one is Dr. Abner Croit, former employee at Mercury before he was forced to leave." Joe said as he handed them the two files.

"How'd you figure this out?" Barry asked.

"Their photos have been in scientific magazine circulations for years. We ran their photos through the database and got a match. No criminal records for either of them." Joe said as Naruto looked them over.

"You were right. How did you know this guy?" Barry asked Naruto.

"It's best if we talk about this at STAR Labs. Meet me there. I've got someone to pick up." Naruto said as they nodded. Naruto super sped to the shelter and then into the alley near Central City Picture News. Naruto walked into the news building with Kurama on his shoulder as he saw people busy at work to get out the next issue and stories. He saw people giving him weird looks, but he paid them no attention as he saw Linda at her desk. She saw him and waved as she handed her complete story to the editor and grab her coat and bag.

"Hey there." Linda said as she walked over and instead of hugging Naruto, she picked up Kurama and began coddling him which made the fox more than happy. "And hey to you too, Naruto."

"Haha, very funny." Naruto replied as she kissed her cheek. "So, ready to head to STAR Labs?"

"Yeah." Linda said as they walked out of the CCPN and into the nearby alley.

"Take a deep breath and try not to move." Naruto said as Linda held Kurama close to her chest. Naruto held her around the waist and super sped them to STAR Labs. Caitlin, Cisco, and Dr. Wells were in the cortex when a whoosh of air rushed past them, knocking papers in the air and they saw Naruto and Linda appear. Kurama jumped out of her arms and shook his fur to readjust himself from the discomfort of moving so fast as Linda wobbled a bit.

"Wow, I've got to get use to that." Linda said as Caitlin picked up some of the scattered papers.

"Felicity was right about paperweights." Caitlin said as Cisco nodded.

"Sorry, guys." Naruto said.

"It's quite all right. We've grown accustomed to it. Now, shall we get started." Dr. Wells said as they moved to one of the spare labs in the building where they had set up all kind of equipment to test and analyze Linda's powers. Linda stood in the testing room, having taken off her jacket and in a STAR Labs t-shirt. Caitlin was there, putting monitor nodes on her arms and chest while Dr. Wells, Cisco, Naruto, and Kurama were in the observation room.

"So, what's this for?" Linda asked.

"The nodes will let us monitor your vitals while we test your powers. Our computers will then record everything and from there we'll understand exactly what you can do." Caitlin said as Linda nodded. Caitlin then walked into the observation room as they turned on their computers.

"Ok, we're all set. Nodes sending back the data. Her vitals seems good, heart rates a little up but that's probably due to nerves." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"Ok, Ms. Park. We'll begin our test now." Dr. Wells said as Linda nodded.

"Right. So, what do I do?" Linda asked.

"Try and concentrate. Bring out your powers." Dr. Wells said as Linda nodded.

Linda stared at the wall before closing her eyes and trying to concentrate. She tried to remember what she was feeling yesterday when she used her powers, not the fear but the adrenaline. Her hands began to flicker with white light as the lights in the training room flickered as well before the energy was sucked out and absorbed into Linda. The lights short circuited and exploded as the energy transferred into Linda and her hands began glowing like a light house.

"Whoa." Linda said as she looked at her hands but then closed her eyes and quickly pointed her hands away from her face to avoid blinding herself from the extremely powerful light her hands were producing.

"How's she doing?" Naruto asked as they looked at the computers and her vitals reported everything was fine.

"Her vitals are great. No adverse effects from what the energy her body is producing." Caitlin said.

"And it seems that not only can she produce light from her hands, but she can absorb it as well." Dr. Wells said.

"Yeah, when she absorbed the energy from the lights, her vitals improved. It's like she can feed on energy like Blackout. But in a much better way." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

"Ok, Linda. Let's test out your powers." Caitlin said as she pressed a button and a large block of metal resting on a podium rose out from the floor in front of her.

"The block you see is made up of Tungsten. It's has the highest melting point of all metals at 6,192 degrees Fahrenheit. We've rigged it up with a highly advanced thermometer. Use your light and try to melt it." Dr. Wells said as Linda nodded.

She pointed her hands at the block and two beams of white light shot out and hit the metal block of tungsten. Linda concentrated as the white light kept shooting and the metal began to glow and get hot.

"She's already reached 2000 kelvin." Caitlin said as everyone was amazed that she was shooting out light that was 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

"And it's rising." Dr. Wells said as the temperature kept rising, now reaching 3,000 kelvin.

"How are her vitals?" Naruto asked as Cisco looked them over.

"Perfect. Her vitals are stable." Cisco said as Naruto nodded.

Linda kept going as the heat from the light she was producing melting through the tungsten and destroyed the thermometer, recording her highest temperature as 4000 kelvin or about 6,740 degrees Fahrenheit. Linda's light beam had melted straight through the tungsten and hit the wall, melting the metal and concrete and made a small hole.

"Linda, that's enough." Naruto said as Linda stopped, revealing the newly made hole in the wall.

"Sorry." She said as they nodded.

"I guess I'll have to fix that later." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"Besides the little melting, Ms. Park's powers are very impressive. Let's head to the cortex." Dr. Wells said as they went back to the cortex. Linda drank some water, feeling a little spent from using her powers like that but she was fine.

"So, what's the prognosis?" Linda asked.

"Prognosis is you're a badass." Cisco said as Kurama jumped onto the chair next to him, so Cisco scratched his ear.

"Didn't need to tell me twice." Naruto said as Linda smiled.

"It appears there is no negative side effect to Ms. Park's powers. In fact, it's the opposite. When you absorbed the light from the testing room, your vitals improved as if your body's own electrical energy was increased and rejuvenated." Dr. Wells said as Linda looked a little lost.

"It's essentially like replacing electrolytes after a run or marathon but you can do it with energy." Caitlin said as Linda nodded.

"So, what exactly can I do?" Linda asked.

"It would appear that Linda has acquired a form of photokinesis." Dr. Wells said.

"The ability to control light." Linda said as Naruto looked at her. "I've picked up a thing or two since we started dating."

"Yes, it would appear that Ms. Park is somehow able to channel and produce immense photons as pure light and from the readings we picked up, there's a chance she can produce pure starlight." Dr. Wells said.

"Wow. That would mean that she can reach up to 5,330 kelvin." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"What about the lights flickering last night?" Linda asked.

"Not only can you produce and project light, but you can absorb it as well. Last night, when your emotions were all over the place you were subconsciously using your powers and were trying to absorb the nearby lights for energy." Caitlin said.

"So, is it all energy she can absorb or just light?" Naruto asked.

"Let's test it." Cisco said as he handed her a AA battery. Linda held it in her hands, but nothing happened. He then handed her a flashlight that was turned on as she then absorbed the light from the flashlight, rendering it useless and making her feel better.

"Whoa, like a 12-shot of espresso without the crash." Linda said as she felt great.

"Guess that answers that question." Naruto said.

"With the ability to produce and control light, there is a lot that Ms. Park will find herself able to do." Dr. Wells said.

"Awesome. Now we just need to get you a uniform and a name. I'm kind of partial to Dr. Light." Cisco said.

"Uh, Cisco. I'm not a doctor." Linda said.

"Semantics." Cisco replied.

"Yeah, and Linda's not getting a uniform or a name or a mannequin next to mine unless it's what she wants." Naruto said as Cisco nodded.

"Really?" Linda asked.

"Yeah. Look, this whole thing was to tell you about me, who I really am and what I do. After learning about you, you're more than welcome to come to STAR Labs and we can help you with your powers but don't feel that you're obligated to do what I do. I don't want you to put yourself in danger." Naruto told her as Linda smiled.

"That almost sounded like you trying to tell me what to do." Linda said in a curious tone.

"I'm not. I just want to keep you safe. It's dangerous what I do." Naruto said as Linda smiled.

"And I love you wanting to keep me safe but I'm not a damsel in distress. And I don't know what to do know with these…powers. For now, let me just get a handle on them." Linda said as everyone nodded.

"That's a good idea." Caitlin said as they heard footsteps and saw Barry walk in.

"Hey, guys. Hey, Linda." Barry said with a wave as Naruto smiled.

"Perfect timing. Meet the fifth person of our little group. Barry Allen, otherwise known as the Flash." Naruto said in a dramatic tone as Barry chuckled.

"Just Barry is fine, Linda. Like always." Barry said as Linda nodded.

"Nice to meet another metahuman." Linda said as Barry raised an eyebrow.

"Did she just say meta?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, when I told Linda who I was, turns out she had something to tell me." Naruto said as Linda held out her left hand and it began glowing bright white.

"Ah. So, I guess everything's all ok here then." Barry said as everyone nodded. "Good, because we're getting nowhere on the case. Joe tried to find us more leads, but nothing panned out. Now's a good time to tell me how you knew our dead guy."

"What case?" Dr. Wells asked.

"Two dead scientists from Mercury Labs were found today. No gunshots, knife wounds or any other obvious forms of death and the ME came back to us with no heart failure." Barry said.

"One of the victims was Dr. Abner Croit." Naruto said.

"The guy I told you about from the story?" Linda asked as Naruto nodded.

"Well, that is a coincidence if I've ever heard one." Dr. Wells said sarcastically.

"Yeah, all sorts of coincidences went out the window when the Particle Accelerator went off. Mind filling me in?" Barry asked as they got him caught up.

"Ok, so we've got two dead scientists, one was a let go due to research into a deadly theoretical element of the universe with no obvious sign of what killed them." Barry stated as everyone nodded.

"Seems like that's it." Naruto said as they heard footsteps and Joe walked in.

"And more." Joe said as he noticed Linda. "Oh, we have company.

"It's ok, Joe. She knows." Barry said.

"Joe, meet Linda Park, my girlfriend and newly discovered metahuman. Linda, meet Detective Joe West, one of CCPD's finest." Naruto said as Linda waved.

"Hi." She said as Joe smiled.

"Hey. So, still nothing on our two vics but I did get Dr. McGee to allow us to see her and ask some questions. Maybe it'll give us something." Joe said as Naruto and Barry nodded.

"All right, I'll see you later." Naruto said as he kissed Linda goodbye.

Line Break xxxxx

Barry, Naruto, and Joe arrived at Mercury labs and waited in the lobby by the reception desk until they were escorted to Dr. McGee's lab. Naruto looked around, seeing everyone in lab coats and it kind of reminded him of when he would visit his parents at STAR Labs when he was younger.

"Detective." The receptionist called. "Dr. McGee is ready for you. Please follow our security."

"Thank you." Joe said as they followed the security guard up to Dr. McGee's office.

"Gentlemen. Sorry for the wait, we've been extremely busy around here." Dr. McGee said.

"No problem. Thank you for taking the time to see us." Joe said.

"Naruto, good to see you again. I see you have joined law enforcement." Dr. McGee said as Naruto chuckled.

"Just trying to help people. But don't worry, I haven't given up on science." Naruto said as she nodded.

"So, what can I help you with gentlemen? Have you found my stolen Tachyon prototype or are you here to blackmail me for another?" She asked as Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have another?" Naruto asked as Joe cleared his throat.

"We're here about one of your employees, Alexander Reynolds." Joe said.

"Yes, one of our finest engineers. Is something wrong?" Dr. McGee asked.

"He was found dead." Barry said as Dr. McGee was surprised.

"Dead? Good lord, what happened?" She asked.

"We were hoping you could help us with that. What can you tell us about Mr. Reynolds?" Joe asked.

"Well, he's always been a loyal and steadfast employee. I can have his records and personnel files sent over." Dr. McGee said as Joe nodded.

"Thank you. Have you noticed any odd behavior or unusual activity recently?" Joe asked.

"No, nothing of the sorts. But I can't speak for every one of my employees. I would speak to some of Reynolds co-workers in the engineering lab. I can have you escorted later." Dr. McGee said as they nodded.

"Dr. McGee, do you know this man as well?" Barry asked, showing her a photo of Abner Croit.

"Yes, Dr. Croit. He was a former employee of mine. Don't tell me he's a suspect?" Dr. McGee asked.

"No, he was found dead with Mr. Reynolds." Naruto said as Dr. McGee froze for a second before sitting down. "How well did you know Dr. Croit?"

"Very well. We've been colleagues and friends for a long time. It was sad to have to see him go." Dr. McGee said.

"Go? I thought you terminated him." Naruto said.

"It was a little of both, to be honest. Abner and I have known each other for years and he was one of my first hires when I started Mercury labs. He's contributed to a lot of our breakthroughs." Dr. McGee said.

"So, why did you terminate him? If Dr. Croit was as big of a contribution, what happened?" Barry asked

"The problem wasn't Abner but of an assistant he brought on, Marcus Daniels. Daniels was a very gifted scientist, but he was…eccentric to say the least. He was obsessed with trying to recreate Darkforce." Dr. McGee said.

"Cosmic radiation." Barry said as Dr. McGee nodded.

"Yes. Daniels had studied under Abner for a long time. Abner treated him like a son and shared his ambition and when Abner came to me to get Daniels as his assistant, his drive only intensified. He began spending every waking moment to try and create Darkforce, even used some of our funds to build a reactor that would create a reaction and it nearly destroyed the building and the city had Abner not stopped him." Dr. McGee told them.

"So, why didn't you just let Daniels go?" Joe asked.

"The various safety concerns and violations couldn't be overlooked. Abner was an honorable and loyal friend and he felt responsible. He was the one who petitioned Daniels to be his assistant and he felt that he was partially responsible for what transpired. I tried to talk him out of it, but he made his mind." Dr. McGee said in a somber tone, remembering what happened. "Abner was a good friend and I offered to help him however I could. A larger pension and recommendations to any other kind of job he could get."

"And Daniels?" Naruto asked.

"Well, when Daniels was let go, some colorful language was spewed out and he said he'd prove how wrong I was about Darkforce but since I haven't heard anything since, I doubt he's been successful." Dr. McGee said.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Joe whispered to himself.

"Do you happen to have an address for the two?" Barry asked as Dr. McGee gave them all the relevant information. They talked to some of the co-workers of Abner and Daniels and they pretty much said the same thing of Abner being nice and professional while Daniels was isolated, driven, and a loner. Daniels nearly killed them by creating a Darkforce experiment and when he was let go, he vowed to prove them all wrong. Alex Reynolds, the engineer was someone that Abner worked closely with in his projects and they were friends.

After heading to Mercury labs, they went to Croit's apartment flat to find some clues as to who attacked them. They entered to see it was plain and messy, not in the sense that someone broke in but that Croit never really picked up after himself.

"Damn, this place is a mess." Joe said.

"Yup, true sign of a genius is that they're slobs." Naruto joked as he looked around and found some old awards Croit got when he was younger.

"This mess will make it hard to find out if anything is missing." Joe said as Barry looked around and saw some of Croit's papers and calculations on Darkforce creation.

"It looks like Croit was still working on Darkforce creation. He might have be on something. It seems he was getting close." Barry said.

"That both confuses and terrifies me." Joe said as he looked around.

"Rightly so." Naruto said as he picked up an old photo of Croit with his co-workers at Mercury Labs. "Hey, here's Reynolds."

"If both Croit and Reynolds were killed, my gut tells me that Daniels may have been behind it." Joe said.

"But if Daniels looked up to Croit like a father, why kill him?" Naruto asked.

"Maybe it was an accident." Joe replied.

"Why kind of accidental death doesn't leave any physical evidence?" Barry asked.

"I'm guessing the meta-human kind." Joe said as he took some of Croit's calculations as evidence.

"Linda says the source of her story on Daniels and Croit thought they were trying to re-engineer a Darkforce experiment, like the one at Mercury Labs. Maybe it worked." Naruto said.

"That's all kind of bad." Joe said.

"Where was the lab?" Barry asked as they super sped Joe to the old warehouse.

They arrived outside the warehouse and saw the windows were all destroyed, and the cargo bay doors was blown off its hinges. "Damn, what the hell happened here?" Joe asked as he pulled out his gun.

"Nothing good." Barry said as they walked in and saw the trashed remains of a lab. There were computers and equipment along the wall, all of which were destroyed along with scattered and burned papers, broken glass all over and thrown tables. But what drew their attention was a small mechanical and glass dome in the center of the warehouse connected to a large power source. It looked to be how they Croit and Daniels were going to make Darkforce as it looked like a reaction and containment chamber.

"They were definitely up to something here. Look, heavy duty computer equipment and that looks like a reaction and containment chamber that could be use for Darkforce." Naruto said as he looked at it.

"The question is whether they succeeded and if Daniels was affected." Joe said as Naruto super sped back to STAR Labs, grabbed his goggles and appeared in the warehouse in a whoosh of air.

Naruto put his goggles on and switched through various modes as he looked through the containment chamber. Nothing came up in thermal, night, or ultra-violet. Naruto switched to energy scanning mode and he saw what looked like black colored residue around the chamber and it was giving off a unique energy signature.

"I think I got something." Naruto said as Barry and Joe walked over. "Some kind of unique energy signature my goggles picked up and it's not radiation."

Naruto took off his goggles and handed them to Barry who looked it over and saw the energy signature. "Is that what I think it is?" Barry asked as he handed the goggles to Joe who looked.

"If you think that it's Darkforce residue then I believe you're right." Naruto said as Barry took out a small vial and scrapped some of the residue onto a cotton swab and put it in the vial.

"And I'm guessing Darkforce is bad?" Joe asked.

"It's cosmic radiation and in the wrong hands could be seriously dangerous." Barry said as Naruto nodded.

"We've got to find Marcus Daniels." Naruto said as they returned to STAR Labs.

Line Break xxxxx

Naruto and Barry returned to STAR Labs while Joe went to the CCPD to put out an APB on Marcus Daniels and track him down. He was now the prime suspect in Croit and Reynold's deaths. Team Flash plus Linda were in the cortex as Dr. Wells examined the residue they collected, running it through the mass spectrometer to get a thorough readout.

"This stuff is as impossible as the three of you." Dr. Wells said, referring to Linda, Barry, and Naruto.

"So, it is Darkforce." Naruto said as Dr. Wells nodded.

"I'm afraid so. Whatever Croit and Daniels did worked, and I don't think it would have been possible if not for the Particle Accelerator explosion. The dark matter emitted from that night must have been the missing ingredient needed for creating Darkforce." Dr. Wells said, looking at the papers of Croit's calculations.

"If Darkforce has been in Central City for nearly a year, then how come the city hasn't exploded or been sucked into a black hole or something like that?" Linda asked.

"That's the million-dollar question." Dr. Wells said as one of the computers beeped.

"What's that?" Linda asked.

"I set up a facial recognition program to try and track down Marcus Daniels." Cisco said as he brought up a map. "Traffic cameras just picked him."

"Where?" Barry asked as Cisco brought up camera footage and it showed Daniels in the middle of an intersection wearing a black trench coat surrounded by destroyed cars. They saw him walk down the street as he seemed to be going after someone.

"That can't be good." Caitlin said.

"We've got to stop him before he hurts more people." Naruto said.

"Gentlemen, be careful. We don't know what Marcus Daniels is capable of." Dr. Wells said as Naruto and Barry grabbed their suits and raced through the city.

The Flash and Impulse raced through the city and skidded to a stop in the intersection they saw in the traffic cameras and saw the destruction and people running away. They looked around and Flash saw Daniels walked down the street as cars swerved out of the way. "We've got him." Flash said as Daniels held out his hands and dark crackling energy fired out and hit a light pole, knocking some people down.

Impulse looked and saw Daniels focus his attention on person in particular and he was a scientist from Mercury labs they met earlier today. Dr. Edwin Yang, a scientist they spoke to who worked closely with Dr. Croit.

"Aren't you happy to see me again, Edwin?" Daniels shouted as Edwin crawled away as fast as he could.

"Daniels, why are you doing this?!" Edwin shouted.

"Settling a grudge that's been long overdue. You ruined my life!" Daniels shouted as his hands glowed with dark energy. "And now I'll take yours."

He fired the energy, but Impulse ran by and moved Edwin out of the way. "Go, get out of here!" Impulse shouted as Edwin ran away.

"So, you're the Speedsters I've read about. Nice to finally meet people just like me." Daniels said as the Flash appeared next to Impulse.

"We're nothing like you. We don't hurt people." Flash said.

"If you want to change the world, sometimes you need to get your hands dirty." Daniels said as Impulse got an idea.

"And that includes murdering Alexander Reynolds and Dr. Croit?" Impulse said as he saw Daniels got mad as his hands tightened into fists. "We found their bodies. What change for the world came from killing them?"

"Reynolds deserved to die. He was the one who told Christina McGee about our experiment and got Croit fired! He ruined everything!" Daniels shouted.

"And Croit?" Flash asked.

"It was an accident. He went to tell Reynolds what happened, but he should have been happy! We finally achieved our dream!" Daniels shouted as he held his hand out and summoned the dark energy. "Darkforce, limitless power in the palm of my hand."

"Your lab…you bonded with the Darkforce." Impulse said.

"Nothing can stop me now. And I'll complete Croit's dream and destroy Dr. McGee and everyone who tried to ruin his dream." Daniels said as his powers began to affect the surrounding area as the lights began to flicker.

"That's not what Croit would have wanted!" Flash said.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT HE WOULD HAVE WANTED!' Daniels shouted as a wave of dark energy shot out from his body and hit them. The Flash and Impulse were knocked through the air and hit parked cars.

"Oh, that hurt." Flash said as they groaned in pain.

"Dammit." Impulse said as he stood up and saw Daniels walked toward them, his hands glowing with black energy.

"I'm finishing his life's work. Everything he wanted, everything he showed me is possible and I'm not going to let anyone stop me! Least of all you two!" Daniels shouted as he fired a dark energy blast as Impulse and Flash ran out of the way.

"Ok, how do we stop this guy?" Flash asked over the comms as they super sped out of the way of another dark energy blast.

" _Still working on that."_ Cisco told him as the cops arrived. They told Daniels to freeze but he didn't stop so they opened fire, but the bullets hit his body and dropped to the floor like nothing happened.

"What the hell? Dr. Wells, what was that?" Impulse asked.

" _It seems he can absorb the kinetic energy from the bullets. It'll make fighting him a lot harder. Try and blindside him."_ Dr. Wells told him as Impulse saw Daniels fire an energy blast at the cops, but he ran and got them out of the way.

"Got it." Flash said as he ran into the middle of the street. "Come on, Daniels! That's all you got!"

"RAH!" Daniels shouted as he tried to blast him, but the Flash moved out of the way.

Impulse ran at Daniels and when he got close, he jumped and hit Daniels across the face with an Accelerated mass punch. The impact sent Daniels tumbling across the ground and knocked out. "Guess Darkforce isn't that strong." Impulse said as he walked over to Daniels body and pulled him up to take him to STAR Labs when Daniels grabbed his arm.

Daniels looked up at Impulse with his eyes glowing black and no bruise or cut at all. "Thanks for the boost." He said as he then grabbed Impulse by the throat and hoisted him up. "How about I show you have powerful Darkforce is?"

Daniels concentrated as Impulse felt all the energy from his body was being drained. His skin began to lose its color and all the electricity his body produced was being sucked into Daniels and it made him feel stronger. While his energy was being drained, Daniels also began infecting Impulse with negative energy and would have killed him there if he didn't vanish in a whoosh of air.

"Dammit." Daniels said as he quickly left the scene.

Barry appeared back in STAR Labs carrying Naruto who was barely conscious. "Guys!" Barry shouted as Cisco helped him and they put Naruto onto a gurney. Caitlin ran over and took off the top part of his suit as Cisco connected medical nodes to Naruto's chest.

"What's happening?" Dr. Wells asked as they saw Naruto's pulse was dangerously low and his skin was really pale.

"He's lost a lot of his body's bio-electricity. His pulse is really weak and I'm barely getting a heartbeat." Caitlin said as she connected an IV to his arm.

"Guys, look." Linda said as they saw the what looked like a black splotch around his neck where Daniels grabbed him. It wasn't just on his skin as it was now coursing through his veins like a visible poison.

"What's is it?" Barry asked as Naruto's vitals began to get worse.

"I don't know but whatever it is, it's killing him." Caitlin said as she saw his vitals drop.

"Daniels. It must be some kind of poison he infected Naruto with." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, we can cure him, right? I mean, we're at STAR Labs." Linda said.

"Can we even cure Darkforce infection?" Cisco asked.

"Tsunade. Barry, get Tsunade. She healed you, maybe she can heal Naruto." Caitlin said as Barry nodded and super sped away. He appeared in a second with Tsunade who looked confused.

"What was that?" Tsunade asked as she saw Naruto. "Naruto! What happened?"

"New metahuman. He drained Naruto of his bio-electricity and infected him with some kind of virus." Dr. Wells said.

"Can you heal him?" Linda asked.

"I can try." Tsunade said as she walked over and placed her hands on Naruto's chest. She concentrated as her hands glowed green and her bio-energy began healing Naruto and his vitals improved. She kept healing him as his pulse began to go back to normal, but the infection wasn't going away. Tsunade kept up her healing but after a minute, the fatigue began to set in and she stopped as she nearly collapsed to her feet had Barry not caught her.

"Easy." Barry said as he helped her to a chair. They looked and saw that Naruto's pulse improved but dropped again as the infection kept spreading and was now reaching his heart. "It didn't do anything."

"We need to get rid of this…infection if we want to help him." Caitlin said.

"Ok, but how? I mean, we don't exactly know what we're dealing with." Cisco told her.

"I have an idea. It's a little crazy but might work." Dr. Wells said.

"Well, good because crazy might be what we need." Tsunade replied.

"It involves Ms. Park." Dr. Wells said as Linda looked at him.

"What can I do?" She asked.

"I believe that the night you got your powers when you were trying to find out your story, your powers might be able to purge the infection. If Daniels infected Naruto with Darkforce, then the only way to purge it could be by exposing it to pure light." Dr. Wells said.

"Pure light can cancel dark." Cisco said.

"But Linda's light reaches temperature up to 4,000 kelvin. That could kill him." Caitlin said.

"Not if she concentrates on the infected area." Dr. Wells replied.

"I just found out how to use my powers, I don't know if I can do something like that." Linda said.

"You can, I believe you can and so does Naruto." Dr. Wells said as he rolled up to her. "Ms. Park. Everything I've seen about you and what Naruto has told me only proves that I know you can do this. Your powers are yours to control, not the other way around. Naruto…needs you right now, Ms. Park. You can do this."

Linda looked at Naruto as she walked over and stood by his side. She placed her hands on his chest and concentrated. Her hands began glowing as Naruto hissed in pain. "Hold him down." Dr. Wells said as Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin held him down to the gurney. "Sorry, Naruto. But this could save you."

Linda focused as her light began to enter Naruto's body and purge the Darkforce infection, causing it to recede. She kept up her light as the infection was purged from Naruto's system. "That's enough." Dr. Wells said as Linda stopped, and Naruto stopped thrashing.

"Naruto, Naruto can you hear me?" Linda asked as Naruto opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Ugh…like someone put a campfire on my chest." Naruto said, causing her to chuckle as Barry helped him sit up. "What happened? Where's Daniels?"

"He's gone. He hit you with some kind of Darkforce infection. You'd be dead now if it wasn't for Linda." Barry said as Naruto looked at her.

"I thought Dr. Wells told you to be careful." Linda told him.

"Comes with the job. Thank you." Naruto said as Linda kissed him and helped him up.

"So, now we know that Marcus Daniels is in fact a meta with the ability to control Darkforce." Cisco said as they moved to the cortex.

"And he's the one who killed Reynolds and Croit." Naruto said.

"But why would he kill Croit is he was like a father to him?" Caitlin asked.

"I don't think he meant to. Daniels said that Croit went to Reynolds to tell him what happened. My guess is that he realized that Daniels was too dangerous, and he needed help." Naruto said.

"That would match up with what Dr. McGee told us. He felt responsible for what happened and tried to fix it." Barry said.

"You're right about that. I hacked into Reynold's phone and it turns out there were numerous calls from a payphone near where their bodies were found. The calls started a month after Croit was let go and continued after the Particle Accelerator exploded." Cisco said.

"Reynolds probably sent the letter to Linda about what they were trying to do incase something bad happened." Caitlin said.

"Well, something bad did happen. Now we've got a crazy guy out there with the powers of cosmic radiation and we don't know what he wants." Cisco said.

"What he wants is revenge. He feels that everyone at Mercury Labs is responsible for firing him and ruining his life. He thinks that he's carrying on Croit's legacy by taking out the people who didn't believe him. And he has the powers to do it. He can kill just by touching people, I think that's what he was trying to do to me." Naruto said.

"Mr. Daniels appears to be able to absorb all types of energy. He absorbed the kinetic energy from the bullets, thus rendering them useless and he since the body runs on electrical impulses he can absorb bio-electricity as well." Dr. Wells said.

"So, he went to kill Reynolds and when Croit was there, he touched him and killed him by accident." Barry said.

"And thus, began the trip to crazy town." Cisco said.

"Ok, so how are Naruto and Barry going to stop someone they can't even touch and who can absorb energy?" Tsunade asked.

"Sounds impossible." Caitlin said as Linda got an idea.

"Maybe not." She said.

"What do you mean?" Barry asked.

"If his Darkforce infection is anything like his powers, then maybe we just need light to stop him." Linda said.

"Exposing him to more energy than he could absorb at once. If he is overloaded, it might cancel out his powers." Dr. Wells said.

"Like using too much energy for a lightbulb. Once we do that, we can put him in the pipeline." Cisco said.

"Ok, so how are we going to expose him to that kind of light? Maybe we could rig up some kind of light projector." Naruto said.

"I'll do it." Linda said as they looked at her. "If my powers stopped the virus, I can stop him."

"Whoa, Linda. This is way too dangerous. You just heard how dangerous how Daniels is. You saw it." Naruto told her.

"I know but the longer he's out there, the more people get hurt. Besides, I'm the only one who can stop him." Linda said.

"Linda, he could kill you. I don't want you to get hurt." Naruto said as Linda smiled.

"I know but I'm not just going to stand here and do nothing when I can actually help." Linda said as she kissed him on the cheek. "Ok, so what would I need to do?"

"If our theory is correct, hit him with as much light energy as you can. Once he absorbs too much, it should overload him. Cisco will prep a cell in the pipeline for him." Dr. Wells said as Linda nodded. Cisco walked over to a shelf and picked up a small box and handed it to her.

"Here, I managed to make these on short notice. Extra strength sunglasses should protect you from the bright light." Cisco said as Linda nodded.

Linda opened the box and she saw what looked like regular sunglasses and put them on. "Ok, now we just need to find him." Linda said.

"If he's after revenge, then he'll probably be heading to STAR Labs." Dr. Wells said as he brought up CCTV camera footage and they got an image of Daniels a block away from Mercury Labs. "Be careful. Daniels is dangerous and unhinged. Be patient and wait for an opportunity to strike."

"Right." Naruto said as he held Linda by the side and he and Barry super sped through the city.

Daniels walked through the city as he nearby streetlights and car lights flickered as he absorbed more energy on the way to Mercury labs to get his revenge. People ran away in fright as streetlights exploded when Daniels walked by. He passed another street when two blurs appeared in front of him.

"You two again. Didn't I kill you already?" Daniels asked, pointing to Impulse.

"Guess it didn't stick." Impulse replied.

"Don't worry, this time it will." Daniels said as he summoned more dark energy and fired it at the two, but they super sped out of the way. Impulse looked and saw the energy was a lot stronger than before.

"Guys, is it just me or this guy a lot more powerful than before?" Impulse asked.

" _It's not you. It seems he's absorbed a lot of energy since your last fight and it's making him stronger."_ Dr. Wells said.

"Right. Let's hope this plan works." Flash said. "Come on, Daniels! Give us your best shot!"

The Flash and Impulse played hit the target and kept Daniels attention as Linda was waiting in the alley and steading her nerves. She looked and saw the destruction Daniels was causing and started to second guess herself.

"This is crazy. Ok, calm down, Linda. You can do this." She said to herself as she finally stepped out of the alley and walked out into the street. "Hey!"

Daniels turned and saw a woman wearing sunglasses in the street. "Leave them alone!" Linda shouted as confident as she could, but she was still nervous. She concentrated as her hands began to glow.

"Wrong time, wrong place." Daniels said as he fired a dark energy blast at her and she raised her hands, making a light shield which canceled out his Darkforce. "What the?"

"It worked." Linda said, shocked it actually worked.

"Interesting." Daniels said he fired another dark energy blast and this time it hit Linda and knocked her away.

"Ow, ok that hurts." Linda said as Daniels fired another blast, but Impulse ran by and moved her out of the way.

"Linda, are you ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, just a little scraped up. Now, I'm ready for some payback." Linda said as her hands glowed.

"Kick his ass." Impulse told her as they saw Flash still playing hit the target.

"Hey, Daniels! You need some sunshine!" Linda shouted as she fired her light beams as Daniels fired his dark energy and the two beams collided in air. Impulse and Flash shielded their eyes as the collision created a huge spectacle of bright light.

The collision of Darkforce and light ended up creating a visual array of changing colors of light as the two beams struggled for dominance. At first, it seemed that Daniels had the upper hand as the Darkforce pushed back the light, but Linda concentrated more and more as her light began to glow brighter. It got so bright that Daniels, Impulse, and the Flash needed to close their eyes. The small lapse in concentration is all Linda needed as she pushed her light beam and it overpowered Daniels' Darkforce and hit him as he began absorbing the energy.

Daniels grit his teeth as the energy soon became too much for him to absorb causing him to fall to his knees as his body felt like it was on fire. "ARH!" Daniels shouted as Darkforce energy exploded out of his body and knocked Linda, Flash, and Impulse back and onto the ground.

"Ugh, still hurts." Linda said as Impulse ran over and helped her up.

"Hey, you ok?" He asked as she nodded.

"Yeah. I'm good." Linda replied.

"You were amazing." Impulse said as Flash walked over.

"Yeah. Nicely done." Flash said as they turned and saw Daniels was lying in the street, unconscious. Impulse walked over to check his pulse and got one.

"He's alive, just knocked out. Guess the energy was too much for him." Impulse said.

"He really needed to get some sunshine." Linda said as Impulse and Flash chuckled.

"Nicely done, Light." Flash said as they super sped back to STAR Labs and put Daniels in a cell.

They looked at Daniels who blasted and pounded the cell with his Darkforce, but it didn't budge. "You sure it will hold?" Linda asked.

"Yes, the cell has a reflective energy field so anything he blasts the cell with just bounces back." Dr. Wells said.

"Good, because I think dealing with Darkforce once is enough." Cisco said as he closed the door to the pipeline.

"Nicely done, Linda." Caitlin told her.

"Yeah, that was awesome." Cisco said.

"I agree with them, Ms. Park. Excellent work. We couldn't have stopped Mr. Daniels without you." Dr. Wells said.

"Thanks guys. To be honest, I think a lot of that was adrenaline." Linda said.

"Don't sell yourself short. For your first time out in the field, you did a good job." Barry said.

"Yeah, take it from us. The first time in the field can be nerve racking but you did great. Badass and strong. I knew you had it in you." Naruto said as Linda smiled.

"I now know why how you and Barry go out and save the city. There was a bit of rush." Linda said.

"Does that mean we can expect you to help again in the future?" Cisco asked, hopeful. "Please say yes because I have some really great ideas on a suit."

Linda chuckled as she brushed some hair behind her ear. "Maybe, Cisco. If I need to. For now, I think I just want to get a better grasp on my powers before I become a superhero." Linda said.

"Superheroine, actually. And you're more than welcome to come to STAR Labs whenever you need." Dr. Wells said as he and the others left, leaving Naruto and Linda.

"So, are you really ok?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm mean, I was terrified out there but when Daniels and I were in that energy clash, there was a real rush. Is that what it's like out there when you go and save the city?" Linda asked as Naruto chuckled.

"A little. You get use to it. Are you serious about before?" Naruto asked.

"About being a superheroine? Maybe. I mean, if I can help you guys, shouldn't I?" Linda asked as Naruto walked up to her and kissed her.

"Whatever you want to do, I'll support you a hundred percent." Naruto said as he kissed her forehead. "But don't think that'll stop me from worrying about you."

"Likewise. No more secrets between us, right? You don't have any more powers that I should know about?" She asked as Naruto shook his head no.

"No. You know everything I do. There might be some stuff I'll have to catch you up on." Naruto said as Linda smiled.

"Naruto Namikaze, my speedy superhero." She said as Naruto smiled.

"Linda Park, my lightning rod." Naruto said as Linda looked at him.

"Lightning rod?" She asked.

"Yeah. Lightning rod…you know, I'll always find you." Naruto said as Linda just walked away. "You don't like that. How about my lighthouse?"

"Try again, speedy." She said as Naruto walked after her.

"Ok, how about furnace of my heart?" Naruto asked as she shook her head. "I'm not that great with the nickname thing. That's more Cisco's skill."

 **End of Chapter 5**

 **And thus, ends Chapter 5. Hoped you guys liked it. I initially planned to include Pied Piper in this chapter as well but then it would be way too long, so it'll be in the next one. I made small changes to the canon, like how the fight with Snart and Rory should have gone. I think it was kind of stupid that Barry tried to get them to cross streams when he could have just swiped their guns. In this case, he was just distracting them until Naruto saved Caitlin.**

 **With the Brick story, I wanted another reason for Naruto to interact with Team Arrow and get some more time using hand-to-hand skills. Naruto could have gone faster but he didn't need to because fighting those kind of bad guys is no serious threat to him, so it was just fight practice and helping Team Arrow take down bad guys. Linda is now a metahuman, essentially Dr. Light but I don't know if I want to use that name, especially since it wouldn't make sense if Linda's not a doctor, so maybe just Light. If you guys have suggestions for Linda's superheroine name, leave it in a review. The whole Darkforce thing was from Marvel's Agents of Shield and I liked the idea of if Linda had light powers, someone would have the opposite, sort of Yin and Yang thing. Darkforce isn't done with and will be back in later chapters. In the comics, Lightforce is able to cancel out Darkforce and actually heal so Linda can heal but only Darkforce injuries. Linda won't be a hero next chapter, it'll be a gradual thing for her if she so chooses to.**

 **Next chapter, an old rival comes back to STAR Labs to play a game and reveal some new information about Firestorm and Naruto learns new things about the accident that killed his parents.**

 **1). In the show, Oliver's defeat, and episodes 10, 11, and 12 happen around Christmas and takes place during the rest of the month, but for the story, Oliver doesn't go to fight off Ra's until January, lining up with the Rogues episodes of the Flash. Just incase there is any confusion.**

 **2). It's Diggle's helmet from Season 4. Naruto makes it for him instead.**

 **3). It's Laurel's Canary Cry. In my story, Naruto makes it for her but it's basically the same thing Cisco made except this version produces physical sound waves that could be seen. Like the show should have done.**

 **4). Darkforce from Marvel's Agents of Shield season 1 episode 19, The Only Light in the Darkness**

 **Current top speed for Naruto Namikaze AKA Impulse: Mach 1.4=1074.18 mph.**

 **Current abilities unlocked now**

 **Super Speed (can run on buildings and water)**

 **Accelerated healing**

 **Enhanced endurance**

 **Enhanced reflexes**

 **Improved homeostasis**

 **Enhanced mental capabilities to speed read and process information quickly**

 **Speed punches: Mach punch**

 **Molecular Oscillation: Vibrate molecules at high frequency (Bold is unlocked or learned at the moment)**

 **Accelerated Mass/Force punch (** Infinite mass punch potential in the future)

Physical disruption

Air solidification

Intangibility/phasing

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Flash, both belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**


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